KUCHING: A company approved by the Federal Ministry of Finance will maintain the Pan Borneo Highway after it has been completed.
Federal Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said in a written reply at the Parliament session this morning that the maintenance work would begin when the highway packages had been completed in stages.
“Appointment of this company is subject to several conditions that have been set by Federal Ministry of Finance.
“My ministry is in the procurement process to finalise project scope and cost. Negotiations will continue and are expected to be completed at the end of this year.”
Nanta was replying to Tanjong Manis MP Ir Yusof Abdul Wahab on whether the maintenance work after the completion of the highway would be privatised and how the company would be appointed.
In addition, to ensure the continuity of the government service delivery, Nanta said the completed package would be maintained by the existing federal road maintenance concession.
He added that this was to ensure the safety and the comfort of road users until a new contract was signed.
Yusof also asked the minister about the current progression and status of the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sarawak.
“For Phase 1 of the highway project in Sarawak, one work package, which is the Telok Melano to Sematan package, was fully completed in January 2019.
“Meanwhile, the construction progress until April this year for the remaining 10 work packages from Sematan to Miri is now 94 per cent complete.
“Almost the entire lineup will be ready in November this year except for some sections in Miri that need to be reconstructed again and can only be completed in 2025,” added the minister.
