Najib in a group photo with the contractors involved in Package 4 of Pan Borneo Highway project.
Najib points at a replica milestone at the launching ceremony. From right are Morshidi, Adenan, Fadillah, Manyin and Entulu. — Bernama photo
Najib getting a rousing welcome when he arrives to launch Package 4 of the Pan Borneo Highway project at the former Durin ferry site in Kong Yit Khim Road, Sibu, yesterday. — Bernama photo
SIBU: The Pan Borneo Highway project is a “game changer” as the costly 1,089km project stretching from Telok Melano in Lundu to Lawas in Limbang will benefit a lot of people.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said this initiative required a lot of money, but it was all for and by the people of Sarawak.
Those who stand to benefit from its huge impact include rural folk, Class F contractors, and consultants. It also generates a lot of jobs for the local community, he said.
“This is the game changer because it will bring rural folk closer to the urban areas, which means demand for their products will change.
“Besides cutting short travel time between Sibu and Kuching from six hours presently to three hours in the future, the road will generate economy for the rural people.
“Hopefully, it will also change the mindset of local people when they see for themselves the developments that come with it,” he said before launching Package 4 of the project at the former Durin ferry site in Kong Yit Khim Road here yesterday.
Najib added that he did not want the Pan Borneo Highway to be like other mega projects, such as the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam, where the locals only see hanging cables but get no electricity in their longhouses.
Bakun, he pointed out, was done during the tenure of the “prime minister who held the post for 22 years”.
“That is another story. Today, we are talking about Pan Borneo Highway. Please do not repeat the mistake done with the Bakun project. Do not give contracts to those who cannot deliver. We give contracts to locals who are capable.
“We must make sure its spin-off take into account the wishes of the local community.”
Najib said 78 local Bumiputera companies would be awarded contracts for Package 4, costing RM1.7 billion. The overall cost of the whole project is RM16 billion.
Package 4 covers a 76km stretch from Bintangor junction in Meradong District to Sungai Kua in Selangau District.
“If in Serian, most of the contracts are awarded to the local Bidayuhs. Today, most of the contracts will be awarded to Class F contractors from the Iban community.
“For other places, we will also give the contracts to the local community so that when they see the highway, they will feel they are part of it.
“They will have a sense of ownership, knowing that the project is not for big contractors only. It is for Sarawakians, and Sarawakians will reap its benefits.”
Present at the event were Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications Dato Sri Michael Manyin, Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Joseph Entulu, and State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani.
Najib and Adenan later presented land compensation totalling RM9 million to land owners affected by the project.