Baru Bian
KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Government is committed to completing the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah, and will collaborate with the State Government to resolve issues plaguing its construction, including land acquisition.
Works Minister Baru Bian gave his assurance during a courtesy call by Sabah branches of the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) and Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM) on October 14.
Baru said the acquisition of land for the project was a big problem in Sabah, and his ministry needed to work with the State Government to navigate this issue.
In Sabah, the project is broken into 35 work packages worth RM12.8 billion with seven packages implemented between April 2016 and December 2017.
Baru said the government would discuss with the Finance Ministry on how best to implement the remaining packages despite the budget constraints, to prevent delayed payments and ensure that all stakeholders are happy.
He added that an independent consultant would be appointed to review the cost of the project and find out whether there is room for discussions with the project delivery partner to reduce the price.
The delegation, led by IEM honorary treasurer Ir Mohd Yaakob Jaafar and ACEM chairman Ir Tan Kok Jyh, were grateful as the minister gave his assurance that the ministry will work closely with the Federal and State Governments to ensure the continuity of the project for the benefit of Sabah people.