By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 17: The upgrading of Jalan Matang Baru Phase 2 here has seen a staggering cost escalation of nearly RM47 million and is now delayed by over six years, drawing sharp criticism from Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen.
Chong, who is also Stampin MP, said the project’s cost has ballooned from the initial contract tender of RM28.69 million to RM75.49 million — a nearly threefold increase.
“In a reply I received in April 2025 to my State Legislative Assembly (DUN) question submitted for the Nov 2024 sitting, the Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development Sarawak confirmed the figures above.
“Although it took the ministry and the Sarawak DUN six months to respond, the answer remains lacking and raises further questions,” Chong said in a statement today.
He went on to say that the 4.4-kilometre road upgrading project first commenced in March 2019 and was initially scheduled for completion by March 2021.
However, the revised completion date has now been pushed to Aug 2026 — a delay of six and a half years from the original timeline.
Chong, who also serves as Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman, said the extended delay has caused immense inconvenience to residents in the Matang area, who have had to endure prolonged traffic congestion, longer travel times, and rising fuel costs.
“All these additional costs to the government’s coffers and the resulting hardship faced by the people stem from the Public Works Department’s (JKR) appointment of a contractor who could not perform,” he alleged.
He demanded transparency from the authorities, posing several questions to the ministry and JKR:
– How was the first contractor selected?
– What actions and compensation have been pursued by JKR against the first contractor for failing to complete the project?
– How could a contract that was supposed to be completed in just 24 months end up taking more than six years? Even after accounting for the two years lost to Covid, the project is still delayed by more than double the originally planned timeline.
– How will the people be adequately compensated for the inconvenience and additional costs they have endured due to the prolonged delay of the project?
Chong further stressed that in the implementation of public projects, the government must be more responsible and accountable to the people, especially those directly affected by the project. — DayakDaily
