KUCHING, Feb 16: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Aminah Azizah Maimunah Iskandariah’s road trip along the Pan Borneo Highway is being planned for September in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebration.
In a news report by TVS, Minister of Works Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the tour along the Pan Borneo Highway is expected to start from Sarawak towards Sabah via Brunei.
Expressing his excitement at hearing that His Majesty wanted to drive along the Pan Borneo Highway and meet the people of Sarawak and Sabah, Nanta said this is welcome news.
“It is still too early to say but I was made to understand that several meetings involving agencies and departments in Sarawak have already been held,” he told TVS at the Parliament complex lobby in Kuala Lumpur yesterday (Feb 15).
Nanta emphasised that His Majesty’s decree indirectly reflected his appreciation for the efforts of the Ministry of Works, especially on the Pan Borneo Highway project.
“At the same time, it is an appreciation for the efforts of Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof who was the former Public Works Minister.
“Now that I’m entrusted to lead this ministry, I feel fortunate because the initial work on the Pan Borneo Highway was carried out during Fadillah’s time. It is an achievement by both the Ministry of Works and the Public Works Department (JKR),” he added.
Meanwhile, the King had expressed his desire to drive along the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah and Sarawak during his Royal Address when opening the second session of the 15th Parliament in Kuala Lumpur on Monday (Feb 13).
His Majesty also said he was pleased with the progress of the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah and Sarawak which started in 2015 and is expected to be fully completed in 2024.
A tour programme is being drawn up by Istana Negara in collaboration with the federal government as well as the Sarawak and Sabah governments. — DayakDaily
