SERIAN: A rescue contractor will take over the Jalan Padawan (Phase 1) upgrading project here which has been categorised as a sick project.
The construction, which had only made 20 per cent progress, was halted because the contractors involved did not fulfill their commitments,said Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Minister Datuk Roland Sagah.
The Public Works Department (JKR) has terminated their contract and a replacement contractor is now expected to continue the long-delayed construction, he said.
“I have also discussed this matter with Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, who is also the Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development.”
Sagah was speaking to reporters after launching the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Community Programme: Green Box Bright Up Kiosk in Kampung Bunga here today (July 5).
While he acknowledged that he was unaware of the contractor’s primary issue, it was clear the project had been delayed significantly because the contractor was unable to finish the job.
“Of course I’m not happy because the locals usually blame the assemblyman when this problem is caused by the contractor but I am the representative of the people for this area,” said the Tarat assemblyman.
“Our responsibility is to raise funds for its development and the relevant agencies or departments are then responsible for seeing to it that the project is successfully completed.
“We are currently waiting for the new contractor to finish it because it will take time to re-tender,” he said.
The RM70 million, 15-kilometer road project from Tapah to Teng Bukap, Padawan, was launched in 2020.
