Baru (centre) in a photo call with the award winners. Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING: The cost rationalisation process of the Pan Borneo Highway (PBH) project to-date has resulted in savings of RM1.2 billion by reducing the project cost to RM29 billion, said Works Minister Baru Bian.
He pointed out that through the savings, the budget can be channeled to projects to drive the economic growth in Sarawak and Sabah, such as the construction of the 165-kilometre Trans Borneo Highway linking Sarawak and Sabah to East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
“We know that the Indonesian government will move their capital to Borneo. This is good news for us all.
“Among the major components of the project is a package worth RM600 million for 40km of Kalabakan Serudong Road in Tawau and construction Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) Complex and government housing quarters,” he said at the Works Ministry media appreciation dinner and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) media awards night on Friday.
Baru stressed that to ensure infrastructure development become the catalyst of economic growth for Sarawak and Sabah, the government is committed to completing the PBH project.
He also encouraged the media fraternity to play its role in producing articles related to the rapid modernisation of industrial infrastructure, in order to convey the benefits of each project implementation to the people.
“The Works Ministry has always regarded the media as a strategic partner to the ministry. I hope the good relationship between us all can continue strong and you can help us to disseminate important information to the public regarding the ministry’s initiatives.
“The Ministry and the six agencies under its purview have mobilised expertise and energy to ensure that technological, innovation and human capital development is a priority in the ministry’s development agenda,” he said.
The Borneo Post writers Yvonne (left) and Kong bagged first and third prize at the awards night, respectively. Photo by Roystein Emmor
Meanwhile, The Borneo Post writers Yvonne Tuah Merawin and Sharon Kong Yih Hieng had respectively bagged the first and third prizes for the Print and News Portal Media Category. Yvonne, with her article ‘Clearing the air for construction’, went home with RM5,000, a trophy and certificate, while Kong with her article ‘The business of rail connectivity’ received RM2,000, a trophy and a certificate.
This was the third consecutive year that The Borneo Post had won first prize in the Print and News Portal Media Category.
Other categories were a Photography Award and Television/Online Video Broadcast.
Also present were Works Ministry secretary-general Dato’ Dr Syed Omar Sharifuddin Syed Ikhsan, CIDB Malaysia chief executive Dato Ahmad ‘Asri Abdul Hamid and others.