By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 4: “If we fail to perform our duties in road maintenance properly, and someone dies as a result, we are at fault.”
Malaysia Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi highlighted this in emphasising the gravity of the responsiblity and accountability of road maintenance at the handover ceremony for the Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak federal road maintenance contract today.
“It may sound harsh, but that is the reality we must acknowledge,” he said in a statement posted on his social media today.
The ceremony marked the official appointment of PBH Asset Management Sdn Bhd to oversee the maintenance of the 829.40-kilometre Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak, with a contract valued at RM69 million over a three-year period.
“The construction of Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak began in 2015, with a total of 11 packages. The first package (WPC01) from Telok Melano to Sematan was completed in 2019.
“Several packages, now beyond their defect liability periods, have been handed over to PBH Asset Management in stages for ongoing maintenance,” he explained in his speech text.
The company is tasked with a range of maintenance activities, including routine upkeep, pavement and non-pavement periodic work, and emergency repairs, all subject to periodic approvals.
Nanta pointed out that the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak will act as a strategic partner to the Ministry of Works, ensuring that all operations, maintenance, and supervisory activities adhere to contractual terms and conditions.
Emphasising the public importance of road maintenance, he urged PBH Asset Management to deliver services efficiently and within the specified guidelines.
“Upholding public trust is crucial by ensuring that the maintenance work meets the highest standards as not every company is afforded such an opportunity,” he added.
Works Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad, Deputy Secretary-General Dato Zahrul Hakim Abdullah, and JKR Sarawak deputy director (Infrastructure) Ir Wisil Lichok were present. — DayakDaily
