Fadillah: Govt to help struggling Pan Borneo Highway contractors

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Fadillah (fourth right) being briefed on the progress for the Work Package Contract (WPC03) in Temudok, Sri Aman on June 9, 2022.

SRI AMAN (June 9): The government is ready to lend a helping hand to contractors of the Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway struggling with labor shortages and higher base construction materials cost amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Senior Works Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof said that when the pandemic hit Malaysia, numerous workers who were involved in the project had to return back to their country of origin.

This resulted in a workforce of only 70 per cent compared to the pre-pandemic capacity towards the construction of the highway.

“The supply of raw materials, namely stones and sand were affected by the closure of quarries and mines,” he said.

He added that the contractors were also affected by the rising cost of diesel fuel, steel and other building materials.

He was speaking to reporters at a press conference during the ‘Jelajah FTRoadpedia’ here today.

“We will identify solutions to the problem and we are also discussing with the Ministry of Finance to address the rising cost of construction materials,” he said.

Despite the challenges faced during these trying times, the Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway is now around 83 per cent completion.

One of the 11 Work Package Contract (WPC) has been fully completed, which is the 786 km from Telok Melano to Pujut Link Road in Miri, said Fadillah.

Though some of the WPC were behind schedule, they were not categorised as sick projects as they could still be completed, he added.

The ‘Jelajah FTRoadpedia’ is a three-day program from today till June 11, and is organised by the Ministry of Works as part of the Ministry’s effort to enable participants to view the overall development of the highway from Kuching to Miri.