KIMANIS, Jan 10 ― The appointment of Sabah Public Works Department (JKR) as the project delivery partner (PDP) for the Pan Borneo Highway project in the state, is to end the involvement of private companies run by political parties under the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) administration.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said prior to the appointment of Sabah JKR, the role of the PDP was played by Borneo Highway PDP Sdn Bhd (BHP) which was managed by a political party leader.

He said under the BN administration, the implementation of the highway project had recorded cost of RM26 million.

“Hence, I made it clear to Tun M (Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) that a PDP should not be run by a politician.

“Tun M agreed to cancel the previous PDP and appoint Sabah JKR (under the State Infrastructure Development Ministry) as the new PDP. The state government has also set up a committee chaired by State Secretary Datuk Safar Untong to oversee the implementation of the project,” he said at the leader-meets-people programme at Kampung Kuala Mandahan Mosque here yesterday.

Also present was Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) candidate for Kimanis by-election Datuk Karim Bujang.

Last Monday, the Works Ministry announced that the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah has recorded 22 per cent progress of 12 ongoing work packages as of December 31, last year and expected to be fully completed in stages by June 2023.

It also said that another three additional new packages were expected to be completed by the end of 2023 and that the project has continued to be implemented even after the government terminated the contract of the PDP on September 21 last year. ― Bernama

KIMANIS: Chief Minister Shafie Apdal rejected claims from former premier Najib Razak that the Pan Borneo Highway project had been left abandoned after the new government took power.

Instead, he said, the Sabah and federal governments had scrapped the old “project delivery partner” (PDP) concept, which would significantly slash the cost of the mega project and offer more transparency.

“I will let him (Najib) know it is not abandoned. Previously, the Pan Borneo Highway project was handled by a consultant linked to the Sabah Umno Youth working secretary.

“How can a government project costing RM26 billion be managed in such a way? That is why I asked the federal Cabinet to abolish the PDP concept.

“We have a new structure now where the monitoring and implementing body is chaired by the state secretary and also involves representatives from the finance and works ministries at state and federal levels,” he said.

Shafie was speaking to reporters during a Christmas and New Year celebration in Membakut, about 20 minutes from here today.

Yesterday Najib said the abandoned highway project and a controversy over the Sabah Temporary Pass would contribute to Barisan Nasional’s victory in the Kimanis by-election.

Shafie said under the old concept, almost RM900 million in land compensation had been paid out but yet the project was nowhere near completion.

He was confident the new structure will work and save cost because “it is not run by any political party but by the state and federal governments.”

Dr M’s tenure as PM

On calls for Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to step down by May this year, Shafie said the state government will support the premier “as long as he’s there.”

The Semporna MP said Mahathir has the experience and knowledge to do so.

“And he needs help from us. During the last general election, the people in this country voted for change. As long as Tun is there, we will give the fullest support,” he said.

Asked about Mahathir’s alleged links to the infamous Project IC, Shafie said the incident might have taken place during Mahathir’s first tenure as PM but he did not believe Mahathir was involved in the matter.

Project IC refers to the systematic granting of citizenship to illegal immigrants in Sabah in the 1990s.

“Just because of the incident we can’t deny his big contributions to our country. Tun has done a lot. Malaysia wouldn’t be like this without his contributions.

“Of course there are incidents like that during his tenure but how many officers from the National Registration Department were arrested during those days when he was PM?

“So don’t hurl accusations that it is done by him – I don’t think the PM has done that. People have also accused me of issuing identity cards (ICs)… do you think I (have the authority) to issue ICs?” Shafie said.

He said Mahathir is more open to Sabah now, hence, why he is chairing the special Cabinet committee to review and implement the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

“We know we have limitations. Humans are not angels, we are not perfect and bound to make mistakes but here we are in the second round of him being the PM – he knows well, he’s listening a lot to us,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 2): The Works Ministry has re-appointed 11 contractors and 12 consultants for the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway Project, who were previously appointed through the Project Delivery Partner (PDP).

Its minister Baru Bian said the decision was made to ensure continuity and smooth implementation of the project.

“I hope they will continue the work completing their packages within the time and schedule that has been set. We will not compromise on that, and if there is any negligence or delays, we will terminate their contracts unless there are justifiable reasons.

“The contractors are also reminded to ensure that the safety of road users is a priority and if the motorists have any problems, we are open to receiving their complaints,” he said here today.

Baru was speaking at a press conference held after handing over the acceptance letters for the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway Project to the 11 contractors and 12 consultants to continue their work on the project.

Bernama had earlier reported that the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project would be taken over by the Works Ministry as the project owner, after the end of the PDP on Sept 21.

It was handed over to the state government through the Sabah Infrastructure Development Ministry and the Sabah Public Works Department as implementing agent.

Earlier, in his speech, Baru said the project involved 35 work packages where 15 will be continued under the 11th Malaysia Plan to be completed in 2024, with estimated total cost of RM10.12 billion.

“The remaining 20 work packages will started under the 12th Malaysia Plan, subject to the government’s financial ability,” he said.

He added that the project would encourage more investment in the Sabah corridor region, in line with the government’s mission and objective of promoting parity between the regions, urban and rural areas.

“At the same time, improvements in logistical services can be improved especially in areas which have been identified by the Sabah Economic and Development Authority (SEDIA),” he said. — Bernama

The Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah is continuing under the supervision of JKR, says the works ministry.

PETALING JAYA: The works ministry today hit back at former prime minister Najib Razak for claiming that the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah has been abandoned, stating it is 22% complete.

While campaigning for the Barisan Nasional-Umno candidate in the Kimanis parliamentary by-election in Membakut, Sabah, last week, Najib said he saw that “the Pan Borneo project involving the Kota Kinabalu-Kimanis stretch has been abandoned”.

He also said the toll-free highway was “a gift” from the previous BN government to Sabahans.

The ministry dismissed both claims, saying the highway was still under construction even though the government had cancelled the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) arrangement on Sept 21 last year.

“Right now, the project is in the hands of the Public Works Department (JKR), which has helped the government save around RM1.2 billion.

“Up until Dec 31, 2019, the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah is 22% complete and is expected to be fully completed in June 2023,” it said in a statement.

Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal yesterday said the state and federal governments did away with the PDP to reduce the mega project’s cost and to facilitate more transparency after claims it was helmed by a consultancy firm run by a political party member.

The ministry said the savings from the shift to JKR had allowed the government to approve three additional packages – involving passages from exits in Beluran and Telupid totalling RM1 billion to be tendered in March – on top of the 12 existing packages.

The three additional packages are expected to be completed at the end of 2023, it said.

The ministry said the implementation of the 12 contracts was behind schedule, when compared with the original completion date of June 2022, because of land acquisition issues, obstacles at the construction site and transition issues resulting from the shift from PDP to the conventional contract.

It said that apart from the government’s commitment to continue with the 15 Pan Borneo Highway projects in Sabah, it had approved a project to build the TransBorneo Highway to link Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimanatan.

The first phase linking Kalabakan in Sabah to Simanggaris in Indonesia, costing RM600 million, was announced when Budget 2020 was tabled in October.

“Like the Pan Borneo Highway in Sarawak, the cost of implementing the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah as well as other projects in the two states is fully borne by the federal government,” the ministry said.

“This includes the TransBorneo Highway and also the Sarawak Sabah Link Road that was approved by the government, where the users will have to pay no tolls.

“The construction of main roads in these two states without any tolls shows the government’s commitment and determination to ensure that Sabah and Sarawak citizens can enjoy better socioeconomic development.”

KOTA KINABALU: Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) diberi mandat untuk mengambil alih tugas memantau pelaksanaan Projek Lebuh Raya Pan Borneo di Sabah.

Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, berkata kerajaan sudah memutuskan projek itu yang kini dipantau syarikat rakan penyampai projek (PDP), diserahkan kepada JKR seperti diminta kerajaan negeri sebelum ini.

Beliau berkata, penggunaan pihak luar seperti PDP untuk memantau pelaksanaan projek seperti itu menyebabkan kerajaan menanggung perbelanjaan tambahan sedangkan tugas berkenaan adalah kerja JKR.

“Sekarang terpulang kepada JKR menentukan siapa yang memantau projek itu, sama ada JKR Sabah atau JKR Persekutuan,” katanya pada sidang media di Terminal Dua, Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kota Kinabalu (KKIA), di sini, malam ini.

Terdahulu, Dr Mahathir dan isteri, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, menghadiri Majlis Iftar Bersama Perdana Menteri di Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu. Yang turut hadir, Ketua Menteri Sabah, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal dan isteri, Datin Seri Shuryani Shuaib.

Selepas berbuka puasa pada jam 6.28 petang, Dr Mahathir, Mohd Shafie dan jemaah menteri beragama Islam serta orang ramai menunaikan solat Maghrib berjemaah sebelum Perdana Menteri menyampaikan sumbangan kepada golongan asnaf.

Yang turut hadir ialah Timbalan Ketua Menteri, Datuk Jaujan Sambakong, Datuk Madius Tangau dan Datuk Christina Liew serta Menteri Undang-Undang dan Hal Ehwal Anak Negeri Sabah, Datuk Aidi Moktar.

Hadir sama, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Liew Vui Keong dan Waytha Moorthy serta Timbalan Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman.

Sementara itu, Perdana Menteri berkata pelbagai halangan berpunca daripada kerajaan terdahulu menyebabkan banyak projek perumahan rakyat (PPR) di Sabah dan seluruh negara berdepan masalah.

Dr Mahathir berkata, kerajaan tidak mempunyai wang yang cukup untuk meneruskan projek itu dan terpaksa mendapatkan kerjasama syarikat swasta.

Mengenai hubungan Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU) dan Parti Warisan Sabah (WARISAN), Dr Mahathir berkata hubungan kedua-dua pihak adalah baik dan mereka saling membantu menerusi Pakatan Harapan (PH).

“WARISAN bukan sebahagian daripada PH tetapi ia masih berkerja rapat dengan PH. Malah ada tiga menteri dalam Kabinet PH. Ketika Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Parlimen Sandakan baru-baru ini juga WARISAN memainkan peranan besar,” katanya.

As it should.. JKR should lead

logically any infrastructure work done in Malaysia as long involved politician it will be

1. shit
2. songlap and no good
3. politicized project
4. white elephant
5. unfeasible and wasteful
6. project sure subcon and substandards

they should appoint the right engineer and project management deliverance team

Jabatan air sabah also got political connection and can get hundred million easily then you expect JKR sabah is good?

JKR = worst entity in Malaysia; preceded by semi vellu the creator.

banyak songlap and kerja low standard.

Than what is the purpose of jkr.. should outsource the jkr..heeh

Nanti sampai satu tahap.....kalau nk safe lg duit tiba2, Rejimen Askar Jurutera Diraja pulak yg dikerah sambung

Nanti sampai satu tahap.....kalau nk safe lg duit tiba2, Rejimen Askar Jurutera Diraja pulak yg dikerah sambung

thats what I anticipated too.

Why dont just call in the Royal Malaysia Army Engineering Corp to do the work. they are the best and discipline body that able to deliver at their best I seen.

much of malaysia consultant are dick head and smart idiots who have no idea what they doing.

1 flyover need 3 years?

Nanti sampai satu tahap.....kalau nk safe lg duit tiba2, Rejimen Askar Jurutera Diraja pulak yg dikerah sambung

If they are given better and more equipment, I bet they should be able to do that. But its not requirement.. since if war happen, suddenly they have to be deployed again... 😅😅