Nyabau flyover, the longest 1.23 kilometres Pan Borneo Highway interchange.
BINTULU (Feb 19): The Nyabau Section of the Pan Borneo Highway was officially opened today.
The section is one of three in the Works Package 10 and covers Mile 5 here to the Nyabau Flyover and Jalan Bakun Junction to Sg Tangap and is about 76.3 kilometres.
Abang Johari (centre), Fadillah (left) and Uggah give their thumbs up to the Nyabau flyover’s official opening today.
The opening ceremony was jointly officiated by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Senior Works Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof.
The 1.23km Nyabau Flyover will improve road connectivity and safety while reducing the commute time between Bintulu and Miri.
The construction of the four-lane dual carriageway commenced on March 1, 2017 and was full completed on Jan 26 this year with a total cost of RM164 million.
Abang Johari in his speech was pleased with the overall progress of the Pan Borneo Highway project Phase One, which is expected to be fully-completed by the end of the year.
“It is part of the needs, and an important element, towards the growth of Sarawak, and will have a multiplicative impact to all sectors of the economy and bring significant impact to the people’s socio-economy,” he said.
He also dedicated this achievement to the late former Chief Minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, or Tok Nan, who he believed played an important role in ensuring Sarawakians would have better road connectivity.
“This is all because of Tok Nan, who started this big project supported by the then- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. This is a huge contribution given by our leaders,” he said.
He recounted Tok Nan’s commitment for Sarawakians to enjoy toll-free highways along the Pan Borneo Highway.
Abang Johari also said with good road connectivity in Sarawak, it would be able to attract foreign investors to come, thus creating more jobs.
He also assured the state government was strong in its commitment to continue its development agenda for Sarawak to achieve high-income status by 2030.
“The GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) government is planning the economic development strategically with infrastructure development, including the internet,” he said.
“The state government has a forward-looking policy to bring Sarawak’s economy to a greater height with an added value,” Abang Johari said.
Meanwhile, Fadillah said this was another historical day for Sarawak under the leadership of Abang Johari since he became Chief Minister.
“The Nyabau Flyover is the longest under the Pan Borneo Highway project and this shows the commitment and strong cooperation of the state and federal government,” he said.
During a press conference after the officiating ceremony, Fadillah said his ministry was targetting to complete all sections under Phase 1 of the Pan Borneo Highway by the end of this year.
“Overall, the project has achieved 78 per cent completion.
“There are few other work packages that will be open this year until Dec and the state Public Works Department will ensure it will be completed this December.
“We are aware of the challenges such as the border which is yet to be open, less workers and the increase of cost of materials,” he said.
However, Fadillah said the ministry has been given assurance by the contractors involved that they will try their best to complete the remaining packages by this year.
He said the focus by the state Public Works Department would now be on several delayed projects for example in Sarikei, part of the Sri Aman and Betong section and one in Tatau.
He believed once the contractors completed several sections, they can mobilise their manpower to the other critical sections.
On the second Phase of Pan Borneo project between Sarawak and Sabah, Fadillah said the total cost needed is RM7 billion which the ministry will apply for approval from the government.
Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom and Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk John Sikie Tayai.