By Nur Ashikin Louis and Ashley Sim
MIRI, Aug 7: Prime Minister Dato Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today declared the Pujut Section of the Pan Borneo Highway officially open.
The 15.9km-long section from Miri Airport Junction to Pujut Link Road is part of Work Package Contract 11 (WPC11) from Sungai Tangap to Pujut Link Road with a total length of 79.983km.
The other two sections under WPC11 are the Beluru Section and the Lambir Section, which are still under construction.
According to Ismail Sabri, the Pujut Section involved a cost of RM470 million.
“The construction work started on Nov 1, 2016 and was fully completed on July 2 this year.
“The implementation of projects like this opens up more opportunities for Malaysian Family in Sarawak to be involved either as consultants, suppliers or contractors,” he said at the event held in Miri today.
The scope of construction of this section includes the upgrading of the existing federal road and two flyovers, namely the Miri Airport flyover and Pujut Link flyover, the construction of the Sungai Adong and Sungai Miri bridges, and four bus stops.
Meanwhile, Senior Minister of Works Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof said the Pujut Section will ease the traffic flow between Miri Airport to Permyjaya and up to Kuala Baram.
“In addition, residents along the stretch of (road connecting) Emart Riam, Miri Sentral, South Lake Permyjaya and Vista Perdana will also benefit from better, comfortable and safe road infrastructure as a result of the construction of Pujut Section,” he said.
Fadillah also revealed that Phase 1 of the Pan Borneo Highway project worth RM16.1 billion, launched in March 2015, is now at 85 per cent completion and is expected to be fully completed in the first quarter of 2023.
Phase 1 encompasses a total road length of 786km which is divided into 11 work packages stretching from Telok Melano to Miri.
The Telok Melano to Sematan work package was fully completed on Jan 6, 2019.
Several sections (work packages) have also been opened to the public, namely Julau Section of WPC7 from Bintangor Junction to Sungai Kua Bridge which was completed on Oct 28, 2021; Serian Section of WPC3 from Serian Roundabout to Balai Ringin (Dec 4, 2021); and Nyabau Section of WPC10 from Nyabau Junction to Sungai Tangap (Jan 26, 2022). — DayakDaily
