The construction of Pan Borneo Highway near Jalan Mawao Membakut. -Bernama photo
KIMANIS: The Works Ministry’s takeover of the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah from the project delivery partner (PDP) in September last year proved that the government is committed to ensuring the successful implementation of the project.
In fact, to ensure that the project is implemented effectively, the ministry then entrusted that responsibility to the state Public Works Department under the Sabah Infrastructure Development Ministry.
At the Sabah State Legislative Assembly sitting in November last year, state Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony said 12 work packages of the highway project were expected to be completed according to the original schedule of June 2022.
He said three more packages would be completed by the end of 2023 the latest.
The construction of these 15 packages will be continued under the 11th Malaysia Plan, which runs from 2016-2020, while the remaining 20 packages will be implemented under the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021-2025).
The commitment of the federal and Sabah governments in this matter has debunked the opposition Barisan Nasional’s (BN) allegation in the Kimanis parliamentary by-election campaign that the highway project has been abandoned.
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had alleged that Pakatan Harapan (PH) had checked BN’s efforts to change the economic landscape of Sabah as the Pan Borneo Highway project was now abandoned.
Last Monday, the Works Ministry said in a statement that the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project had reached 22 per cent physical completion for the original 12 packages as at December 31, 2019 and it would be fully completed in stages by June 2023.
The ministry also said the three new additional packages are expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
“The implementation period of the 12 contracts has experienced a slight delay compared to the initial completion date (June 2022) due to, among others, land acquisition process and obstruction at the construction site as well as the changes in project implementation method, from PDP to conventional contract,” said the ministry.
The Sabah and Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway project, which was launched by the previous government in June 2015, involves the construction of 2,333km of major roads in the two states.
Realising the importance of the project to the people of the two states, the PH government has shown its commitment in completing the highway, as stated by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng in his 2020 Budget speech in October last year.
Lim said the implementation of the project was important to ensure that the infrastructure development would serve as a catalyst for the economic growth of Sabah and Sarawak.
The PH government has also undertaken a rationalisation process to slash the project cost by RM1.2 billion to RM29 billion.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is also state Finance Minister, has given an assurance that the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project would be continued using a new formula and approach.
He said the new structure for managing the construction of the multi-billion ringgit highway would reduce its cost.
He said the government had spent RM26 million when the project was managed by the PDP and so far RM900 million had been spent on land compensation.
To ensure transparency and proper implementation, Mohd Shafie said, the project would be managed by a body chaired by State Secretary Datuk Safar Untong and comprising representatives of the finance and works ministries at the state and federal levels.
Bernama’s checks in the Kimanis constituency show that some contractors were carrying out building works on the highway project.