PM witnesses signing of Pan Borneo Sabah Highway

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Najib Razak today witnessed the signing of the project delivery partner (PDP) agreement for the management and construction of the 706km Pan Borneo Sabah Highway.

Also present at the signing ceremony involving three parties, namely the Federal Government, Sabah Government and the PDP, were Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman and Chief Secretary to the Government Ali Hamsa.

According to a statement issued by the Works Ministry, the Pan Borneo Sabah Highway project would change the state’s infrastructural landscape and provide more efficient, comfortable and safer linkage for several major towns in the state and its 3.74 population.

The highway, starting from Sindumin to Tawau, is also seen as a strategic route for road users.

“The Pan Borneo Sabah Highway project is an upgrading of the existing passageway as well as the construction of new roads to link the towns involved. The highway will impose no toll,” the statement said.

The agreement was signed by Works Ministry secretary-general Zohari Akob, Sabah state secretary Sukarti Wakiman and Borneo Highway PDP Sdn Bhd managing director, Ir Shahelmey Yahya.

Borneo Highway PDP Sdn Bhd had been appointed as the PDP to implement the Pan Borneo Sabah Highway project.

The statement said the PDP would act as the single point of accountability and would be responsible for managing and overseeing the first phase development of the project at a reasonable cost.

Based on the construction period that was agreed upon by the government, the highway is expected to be ready by Dec 31, 2021.

“During the implementation period, the PDP will be responsible for implementing the project based on the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that have been agreed on,” the statement said.

The first package will involve the Papar-Donggongan stretch, a distance of 11.7 km, which is part of phase one of the Pan Borneo Sabah Highway project.

Most roads in phase one will be upgraded into four-lane dual carriageways based on the Public Works Department’s (PWD) R5 standard (minimum lane width of 3.5 metres and speed limit of 100 kph), expected to be launched at the end of this month.

For coordination of the project implementation, an executive committee will be formed and chaired by Sukarti, with the members comprising representatives of federal and state government agencies.

The committee will be responsible for monitoring and coordinating, as well as solving any issues that may arise in implementing the project.

Besides that, the committee will also ensure that the involvement of the people of Sabah in the project could be maximised, the statement said.

Musa, when met by reporters after the signing ceremony, thanked the Federal Government, particularly Najib, for his high level of commitment and for fulfilling the promises made to the people in Sabah.

“The prime minister is sincere in wanting to ensure that infrastructure in Sabah is developed for the good and (convenience) of the people.

“I believe and am optimistic that this highway will provide (convenience) and other benefits to the people, and spur rapid development in Sabah,” he said.

– BERNAMA

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