KUCHING, Aug 27: The Public Works Department (JKR) and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development (MIPD) must devise an effective approach to supervising contractors involved in projects under the Sarawak government.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said this includes the contractor’s performance and capability.
“JKR and MIPD must find effective ways to rehabilitate critically delayed or sick projects,” he said during his work visit to monitor the government projects implementation performance for Mukah Division in Dalat today.
Uggah, accompanied by Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, was given the briefing by Mukah JKR divisional engineer Abdul Talib Jarni.
Uggah also reminded contractors undertaking the Sarawak government’s construction tenders to ensure they can deliver as scheduled.
He said some contractors are ‘good’ at bidding for contracts, but when they obtained them, they failed to deliver and decided not to continue.
“This is one of the big problems we face in the State. Therefore, when any projects were announced by Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and other ministers, it is expected to be delivered properly for the benefit of the people,” he added.
Meanwhile, Uggah said the contract to build the 11.5-kilometre Kampung Medong, Lebrassau, Kampung Klid road project in Dalat had been terminated.
The RM44.4 million contract awarded in April 2020 and scheduled to be delivered by October 2022 suffered a 550-day delay.
“We plan to table the proposal for a new contractor during the State cabinet meeting,” he said.
On the proposed Kampung Medong Seberang/Kampung Kekan Seberang Road project, which had been approved earlier, Uggah said both JKR and MIPD would work out a programme to implement it.
“The ministry is going to appoint a consultant for the project, and I have directed the JKR to work out a plan so that work on it can start soon,” he said.
On the same day, Uggah also went to Sibu to visit the Sibu Jaya/Kong Yit Khim Road project construction site in Stabau.
The completion date for the 6.75-kilometre dual carriageway project costing RM98.5 million has been revised to July 17, 2023.
“There seem to be problems, so we have directed the contractor to increase the machinery and manpower.
“With more machinery and manpower, we are confident the project can be completed as the new date,” he said. — DayakDaily
