KUCHING, April 14 ― Construction of the second phase of the Pan Borneo Highway linking Sarawak and Sabah will kick off in September and is expected to complete in 2023, The Borneo Post reported today.
Citing Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, the local daily reported that the highway project is the biggest undertaken in Sarawak under a joint partnership with the private sector funding RM13.5 billion of the cost and the remainder to be born by the federal government.
Phase 2 involves the construction of the Tanjung Datu on the southern tip of Sarawak to Miri.
The whole Sarawak stretch of the highway starts from Tanjung Datu on the southern tip of the state to Lawas in the north.
The entire Pan Borneo Highway, to be built at a cost of RM27 billion, involves the construction and upgrading of 1,663km of roads in the two East Malaysian states, with 936km in Sarawak and 727km in Sabah.
The Tanjung Datu-Lundu stretch will be in two lanes and the Lundu-Miri stretch to four lanes, according to the report.
Fadillah also said the second phase includes broadening an 8km stretch from Km15 of the Kuching-Serian Road to a dual carriageway at a cost about RM80 million.
“We will open tender for that project next month. It is now in the process of value evaluation by the Economic Planning Unit and all the related agencies,” he was quoted saying.
Fadilah said the third phase which will link Limbang to Lawas in the north of Sarawak will start in 2018 and is estimated to be completed in 2020.
Phase 1 of the highway was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on March 31.
The construction of the 43km stretch from Nyabau in Bintulu to Bakun in Kapit is expected to be completed in 30 months.
(Source: The Malay Mail Online)