Pan Borneo Highway project behind schedule despite fast track method – rep

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KOTA KINABALU: DAP Sabah Secretary Chan Foong Hin has questioned the effectiveness of Pan Borneo Highway constuction through the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) method.

“Because instead of fast tracking the long awaited road network system in Sabah, the various work packages of the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah are now actually behind schedule,” he said.

The PDP consultant for the Sabah portion of Pan Borneo Highway is Borneo Highway Project Delivery Partner Sdn Bhd (BHP).

Phase one of this toll-free mega project, which covers a total distance of 706km and costs RM12.86 billion, is scheduled to be fully completed by the end of 2021.

Normally, Chan said the Public Works Department (PWD) would act as consultant to represent the government in monitoring the roads construction.

But with under the PDP framework, a third party company was being entrusted to replace PWD’s role in overseeing the whole project.

This was the first time a huge project to be implemented in PDP manner with the hope that not only to fast track the progress, but also providing an opportunity to enstrust the local Sabahans on its delivery as much as possible.

Chan said it would be a bold step and a challenge for the local consulting engineers, contractors, suppliers of the construction materials and related services providers to participate in this multi billion project.

The Sri Tanjong assemblyman said in this regard there was no room for the PDP to fail the task.

“Sadly, only five packages out of total 35 are in the midst of execution.

“The fact that various work parcels of the highway are behind schedule has been confirmed by the Works Ministry in a written reply during the last parliament session,” he said.

As at June 2017, three of the five packages currently under construction in Sabah were behind schedule, whitle the other two were undergoing “pre-construction” work.

One of the examples of delay is the Tawau-Semporna Highway upgrading package which is supposed to be completed in October this year but it’s still far behind schedule.

The latest news for the highway construction progress has revealed that two more work packages have been approved for launching and 10 more would be tendered out by the end of this year.

The remaining 18 packages are expected to be tendered out next year.

In addition, Chan demanded the Works Ministry to disclose the project fee payable to the BHP Sdn Bhd.

According to him, the people have the right to know that how much BHP was paid to take over PWD’s role in the Pan Borneo Highway construction.