By Amanda L
KUCHING, June 17: A specialized maintenance framework will be deployed to rectify 136 kilometers of “redline” stretches along the Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway, involving an estimated overall expenditure of RM900 million.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi revealed that a decision on the matter will be finalized in the near future, which includes the appointment of concessionaire companies to oversee the critical maintenance and upgrading works.
According to Nanta, the government is utilizing a specialized financial approach to secure funding through infrastructure allocations, as the high overall cost prevents the project from being executed through standard financial channels.
“Don’t worry, we will be able to make a decision in the near future and we will appoint those companies,” he told reporters during a press conference today after officiating the inaugural Malaysian Regional Geotechnical and Engineering Conference (MRGEC) 2026.
Commenting on the wider progress of the mega-project, Nanta noted that while Sarawak’s portion of the highway is effectively complete with only minor utility diversion works remaining at the Lambir section, the structure of work packages in Sarawak made it much simpler to manage.
“In Sarawak, our entire Pan Borneo distance is roughly the same as Sabah, but we only divided it into 11 packages, making it much easier to manage,” he explained.
In contrast, the project in neighboring Sabah faces a much more fragmented implementation, split across a total of 35 packages between Phase 1A and Phase 1B.
Providing a breakdown of the progress in Sabah, Nanta stated that Phase 1A is targeting the full completion of 10 out of its 15 work packages by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, Phase 1B which comprises 19 packages awarded in October 2024 is currently recording a physical progress rate of under 10 percent.
He cited complex utility relocations, land acquisition hurdles and Sabah’s vast, mountainous terrain as the primary challenges slowing down progress in the neighboring state compared to the smoother implementation experienced in Sarawak. — DayakDaily
