KUCHING: Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong foresees the difficulties in implementing RM1.2 billion worth of National Key Result Areas (NKRA) projects in various parts of the state this year based on past experiences.
He said the fact that the spending for these NKRA projects has to be done this year was putting pressure on everybody involved.
“This year we have to spend RM1.2 billion under the NKRA projects … and under the 10th Malaysia Plan, the allocation for road projects is RM600 million … it is a tall order for us because our target (for last year’s road projects) was 240km but we are short of 17km,” he said when delivering his speech during the 20th anniversary dinner of Eastbourne Corporation Berhad at a hotel resort in Santubong last Friday night.
Manyin, however, was confident that as time goes by all parties concerned would be able to implement the projects with minimum hassle.
He was also pleased to note that despite intense pressure in meeting the deadlines to complete the projects, Sarawak was now getting a large chunk of allocation because in the past the allocated sum was generally small.
The minister also disclosed that there were appeals made to the government to do away with UPK (Contractor Registration Unit) and PKK (Contractor Service Centre) licences requirement for tendering projects funded by the state and federal governments.
He said these appeals were made by those who could not tender for both projects because they did not possess the licences.
“In the past, projects funded by the federal government could only be tendered by using the PKK licence but we told the Prime Minister that a lot of companies (in Sarawak) do not possess the licence.
“So starting from June last year, companies could use the UPK licence to tender for federal government-funded projects … but for the state government-funded projects, only those possessing the UPK licence can apply.
“However, there are appeals to merge UPK and PKK licences as one so that contractors can apply for both state and federal government funded projects,” he said without disclosing the state government’s stand on the matter.
Meanwhile, Eastbourne Corporation Berhad managing director Ir Ghani Matahir disclosed that to-date the company has completed projects worth RM1.12 billion since its inception in January 1991.
He also disclosed that the company had assisted some of those who had done their apprenticeship at the company by giving sub-contracting works to them.
Also present was Assistant Minister of Infrastructure Development Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman.