Fadillah (seated, second left) speaks during a press conference held at a leading hotel here today after meeting with contractors and consultants of Sarawak’s portion of the Pan Borneo Highway project. Also seen in photo are (seated from left) Ting, Lee and Dennis.
MIRI (Aug 15): Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof hopes Sarawak’s portion of the Pan Borneo Highway project would not be affected in the event that a new federal government is formed.
Fadillah, who is also a senior minister in Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s cabinet, said anyone who is forming the new federal government should continue with whatever decisions that have been made on the project by the current government.
“I hope anyone who will form the (new federal) government does not (change the implementation method). We have to learn from past problem whereby when the Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over, they changed the method.
“So, when they changed the method, the project was extended for another year. The rakyat are at a loss, and secondly the country because our economy is affected,” he said at a press conference after a meeting with Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway project contractors and consultants at a leading hotel here today.
Fadillah was asked to comment on whether the Pan Borneo Highway project which is expected to be completed in September next year would be affected should a new government is formed, following speculation that Muhyiddin would announce his resignation tomorrow.
He said instead of changing the implementation method, the new government should focus on how to complete the project for the betterment of the people of Sarawak and the country.
Besides meeting the Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway project contractors and consultants, Fadillah also checked on the progress of the Pan Borneo project here, especially at Work Package Contract (WPC) 10 and 11.
WPC 10 is from Batu 5 (Bintulu) up to Sungai Tangap, while WPC 11 is from Sungai Tangap untill Pujut Link in Miri.
“We want to see for ourselves the challenges and constraints faced by the contractors in carrying out the project amidst Covid-19 pandemic.
“Based on feedbacks from the consultants today, there are several challenges such as supply of materials, shortage in manpower due to prohibition of foreign workers from entering the country and feedbacks from road users on the quality and safety features of the project,” he said.
Fadillah added that the issues highlighted would be looked into to ensure that the project which is ongoing would meet the quality, standard and the project’s timeline, which is expected to be completed in September 2022.
“Realistically, however because of Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges, there may be few projects that would not be able to completed within the time frame. That is why today we concluded that there must be a dedicated team to ensure that the project completed next year,” he said.
Among those present today were Minister of Transport Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sebastian Ting, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, JKR secretary (Development and Privatisation division) Datuk Zahrul Hakim Abdullah and JKR Sarawak Head of Project (HOP) Pan Borneo Unit Sudin Jaya.