Datuk Fadillah Yusof

KUCHING: The 400-km dual-lane Pan-Borneo trunk road from Sibu to Miri will be upgraded to a highway latest by 2015, assured Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof yesterday.

He said this stretch was receiving priority attention because the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) was expected to prosper areas stretching from Sibu to Bintulu and Miri.

“Certain portions of the upgrading works for areas such as Bintulu and Miri have been completed. Hopefully, the upgrading works could be completed in two to three years time,” he said after officiating at the Malaysian Malay Contractors’ Association (PKMM) Sarawak branch annual general meeting here.

Next on the agenda, he added, would be to upgrade the 186-km stretch between Serian and Betong, and to create more overtaking lanes along the trunk road.

“Of course, based on the (BN 13th general election) manifesto, we will do it in five years. We will implement it (the upgrading works) in stages.”

Fadillah said the Sarawak government had already submitted the costs for continuation of the highway project next year to the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department for approval.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will announce the allocation when he tables the 2014 Budget on Oct 25, he said.

“The amount approved could be less or more than what the state government is requesting. We are not sure yet at this stage.”

On another matter, Fadillah warned that he would not hesitate to cancel contracts and remove contractors from the registered contractors’ list if they failed to deliver projects as stipulated.

He said the percentage of contractors who failed to deliver stood at about 10 per cent at present.

Fadillah added that he had identified a few `trouble projects’ in the state, and would take a first-hand look at them soon.

“I also have to visit the ones in other states as well. We will find ways to reduce and find solutions to trouble projects.”

(Source: Borneo Post Online,1 July 2013)