By Karen Bong
KUCHING, May 20: Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) Phase 2 project will feature Sarawak’s first road tunnel under Package 4, with a proposed length of approximately 2.24km, significantly reducing the need for hill cutting while shortening travel distance from about 22.4km to just 7km.
Deputy Premier and Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the innovative alignment reflects the Sarawak government’s commitment to balancing infrastructure development with environmental sustainability under the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
“The government also welcomes the recognition by the World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia), which commended the adoptio of the tunnel route as a balanced approach between infrastructure development and environmental conservation,” he said in his ministerial winding up speech in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly Sitting today.
Meanwhile, the SSLR Phase 2, which has already commenced, has reached 10.55 per cent physical progress and is scheduled for completion in 2029.
“As of April 2026, SSLR Phase 1 has achieved 70.05 per cent physical progress as of April 2026 and is expected to be completed in 2027,” he said.
He added that the SSLR project underscores strong cooperation between the federal and Sarawak governments in delivering sustainable infrastructure that improves connectivity, stimulates economic growth and benefits local communities.
Uggah also outlined the implementation progress of key infrastructure projects under Treasury Instruction 182 (AP182), under which the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak is recognised as a technical agency responsible for federal projects valued at RM50 million and below.
“This year alone, the department is handling 242 projects under AP182 worth a total of RM3.86 billion. Of these, 17 have been completed, 52 are under construction, 46 are at tender stage, and 127 are in the pre-contract phase,” he explained.
On the Trans-Borneo Highway project, Uggah said the three sections covering a total of 93.25km with an estimated cost of RM2.48 billion are progressing steadily.
The Miri section (4.95km) is expected to be awarded in July 2026, while the Limbang (54.6km) and Lawas (33.7km) sections are currently at tender stage.
He also highlighted the RM3.8 billion Miri–Marudi–Mulu (Kuala Melinau) and Long Panai–Long Lama Road Project, which was launched in November last year.
Once completed, travel time between Miri and Marudi will be reduced from 1 hour 40 minutes to about 30 minutes, while the journey between Marudi and Mulu will take around 90 minutes.
“To accelerate implementation, two Kick-Off Projects (KOP) have been launched for Package 1 (Miri–Marudi Road) and Package 2 (Marudi–Mulu Road) on Dec 15, 2025 and April 13, 2026 respectively,” he added. — DayakDaily
