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KUCHING: The Pan Borneo Highway project is expected to be ready in the next five years, including construction of the Trans Borneo Highway that will connect Sarawak and Sabah.

Senior Works Minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said construction of the Pan Borneo Highway had so far reached 82 per cent completion, with four packages already fully completed, namely, the Telok Melano-Sematan, Nyabau, Serian-Balai Ringin and Julau.

“The remaining packages, hopefully, will be completed by the end of this year. It’s only we anticipate that one or two packages could be delayed due to the challenges, especially the shortage of building materials and their rising costs.

“Meanwhile, many foreign workers have not come in, specifically from Indonesia as Sarawak only accepts those from that neighbouring country.

“The increase in the price of diesel is also another challenge faced by the contractors, besides the cost of steel.

“Hence, the Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR) and Works Ministry are working closely to find a way to complete phase one by the year-end and only a bit of it brought to next year,” he said after officiating at the opening to the public of the Batu 10 bridge, Kuching-Serian Road (KSR), which is part of the Pan Borneo Highway.

Fadillah said for phase one of the Sabah-Sarawak Link Road (SSRL) or better known as the Trans Borneo Highway which was being implemented, while the construction of phases two and three was being detailed out before being referred to the Finance Ministry for the appointment of a contractor.

“The JKR’s responsibility’s is to get ready the highway which will connect the divisions in Sarawak. Our target in the next five years is to complete the remaining part of the Pan Borneo phase two project and the Trans Borneo Sarawak, covering the Brunei by-pass.

“Hence, Limbang and Lawas residents will be able to travel to Miri and then via the land routes to the other divisions,” he added.

Phase one of the Pan Borneo Sarawak Highway project worth RM16.117 billion involves 11 work packages with a 786-kilometre route from Telok Melano in Miri while the Pan Borneo Highway phase two from Limbang to Lawas is expected to be ready by 2028.