‘It’ll be a highway by 2015’

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 Yusuf 

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 s

ubmitted 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.”

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/07/01/itll-be-a-highway-by-2015/#ixzz2XnD3B5LS