Fadillah giving out ‘bubur lambuk’ to a motorcyclist outside Surau Darul Qarar. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: Upgrading work on the 45km stretch from Teluk Melano to Sematan – the southernmost end of the proposed Pan Borneo Highway – will begin immediately after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak launches the project on Malaysia Day – Sept 16.
It is understood that tender for this stretch of road has already been done, but not for other parts of the proposed highway.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the tender process for the entire project (minus the 45km stretch) could be done early next year.
“We have only appointed consultants to do survey on aspects like how big the road should be and how much land should be required. This will be determined later, and we will have to finalise the technical design based on the recommendation of the consultants.
“Survey work and design normally take about 12 months, and the tender process can be expected the soonest by next year,” he said when met by reporters after distributing `bubur lambuk’ at Surau Darul Qarar in Jalan Patinggan here yesterday.
On a related matter, he said the government would determine whether to allocate some packages of the Pan Borneo Highway project to Bumiputera contractors as requested. He, however, stressed that the selection criteria would be based on capabilities in the technical and financial aspects, rather than based on ethnicity.
“Packages will be awarded through open tender, and by so doing, every contractor has the opportunity to participate for as long as they qualify and are capable of delivering what is expected of them.
“Local players, especially Bumiputera contractors from the Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), have requested for certain allocations. We will look into their request, but we have not finalised on this. The project will definitely go through open tender.”
On an unrelated matter, Fadillah said emergency booths had been set up along the Pan Borneo trunk road to assist road users in the event of unexpected incidents during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.
“They are for emergency purposes. In fact, it is now a standard operating procedure for us to offer telephone services and station rescue teams on the ground.” To a question, he said heavy vehicles in the state would be prohibited from going on the road one day before and one day after Hari Raya Aidilfitri for the safety of all. The Road Transport Department (JPJ) had already issued the instruction, he added.
“For the time being, we have to enforce it, particularly in certain stretches. But the restriction is only on certain timing. They can go out at certain period, but not during peak hours.
“One of the reasons for such restriction is because when heavy vehicles are going uphill, the traffic will be slowed down and that is where people start overtaking. The moment that happens, those who are impatient may cause a threat to other road users.”
Meanwhile, the surau together with the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK), PPES, Maggi and Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) prepared 600 packets of `bubur lambuk’ for people around the area. Fadillah also distributed the porridge to motorists in the sun for a few minutes.