Pan Borneo Highway project to be speeded up

PETALING JAYA: The progress of the Pan Borneo Highway will be hastened, with Phase One of the project in Sarawak estimated to be completed in 2023, says Senior Minister (Works) Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

The Sarawak portion of the highway was only 53% completed, while progress was currently at 34% in Sabah, he said.

The Works Ministry is even exploring the possibility of appointing project management companies (PMCs) to supervise the mega project.

This feasibility was agreed upon in principle by the Cabinet, where PMCs would help the Public Works Department in Sabah and Sarawak to effectively manage the project, he said.

“Contractors will also help to supervise and monitor the project as we have received many complaints in that area, ” said Fadillah, adding that talks were also ongoing to examine the feasibility of PMCs absorbing former project delivery partners (PDPs) to hasten delivery works on the Pan Borneo Highway.

This is because former PDPs have the necessary knowledge and skills to start work immediately.

However, that would also depend on the PMCs as it was a business decision, and they also needed to comply with processes stipulated by the Finance Ministry, he added.

Fadillah said progress on the project was delayed by a change in the funding model under the previous administration, which terminated the PDP model, while the ensuing Covid-19 pandemic also threw a spanner in the works.

It would, however, “take a little longer” to complete the Sabah portion of the project.

“Out of the 35 packages under the project in Sabah, 15 are ongoing and we are opening tenders for five more, so there are 15 more packages to go, ” he said.

Fadillah added that allocations in Budget 2021 would allow it to build a link in the Sabah portion of the highway between Serusop in Tuaran and Pituru in Kota Belud.

It is understood that it will eventually link Tuaran to Simpang Mengayau in Kudat in the northernmost point of the state, which is popularly known as the Tip of Borneo.

“For now, allocations from the Finance Ministry in Budget 2021 are only for the Serusop-Pituru stretch.

“Other phases will be done when there is additional funding, but the plans are still there and subject to the availability of funds, ” he said.

Separately, Fadillah said the government was also working to increase local participation in the construction sector so as to lessen its dependency on foreign workers.

He said the ministry was working closely with partners such as the Construction Industry Development Board and the Human Resources Ministry to train locals for skilled and semi-skilled jobs.

“At the same time, we want to include technology that can help the construction sector, such as the Industrialised Building System and Building Information Modelling (BIM), ” he said.

BIM is a 3D model-based process that gives architecture, engineering and construction professionals the ability to efficiently design, construct and manage buildings and infrastructure.

“With such technology in place, there will be fewer 3D (dirty, dangerous and difficult) jobs as much of the work will be done at factories before being assembled at construction sites, ” he said, adding that with technology in place, salaries were likely to be more attractive to locals.