Kota Kinabalu: Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam said the Pan Borneo construction is not the only reason for Beaufort’s flooding, but a combination of bad drains, new developments, high tides and heavy rain all play a part.
“Throughout the implementation of the Pan Borneo Highway Project, several specific measures have been and are being implemented by contractors to reduce flood impacts directly related to the highway alignment,” said Dr Joachim, who is also Works and Utility Minister.
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My Ministry is committed to continuing to carry out responsibilities within the scope of stipulated jurisdiction and strengthening strategic cooperation with all related agencies.
“This integrated approach is important to ensure flooding issues in the Beaufort area can be addressed more effectively without affecting road user safety and smooth flow and the welfare of residents,” he said in his winding-up speech, Wednesday.
Dr Joachim, in response to Bongawan, who raised concerns about flooding and its connection to Pan Borneo Highway construction, said the flooding problem requires a holistic approach involving numerous agencies and factors on top of just highway construction.
He also clarified that the RM6.4 billion allocation tabled in the assembly does not include allocation for the Pan Borneo Highway Project.
“The Pan Borneo Highway Project is fully funded through Federal Government allocation. A total of RM1.6 billion has been allocated by the Federal Government for the Pan Borneo Highway Project as tabled under the 2026 Madani Budget on Oct 10, 2025,” Dr Joachim said, responding to Sindumin.
Additionally, he said the Public Works Department (JKR) has taken proactive steps in increasing monitoring effectiveness and strictness toward contractors or concessionaires who fail to carry out road maintenance work, particularly regarding pothole issues.
“As an improvement measure, the JKR has conducted a review of existing concession agreements, in addition to ongoing meetings and monitoring.
“The new draft agreement agreed upon between the JKR and concessionaires provides deduction mechanisms if concessionaires fail to carry out maintenance work according to specifications and stipulated schedules,” he said.
“If the new agreement is approved, it will increase compliance levels and strictness toward existing concessionaires,” he said, in response to Usukan’s concern about enforcement.
In response to Sekong, Dr Joachim said that the road repair work for Jalan Jaya Chip will be implemented in the proposed 2026 implementation.
He said to ensure Sabah’s interests are protected, the State Government has decided that every energy project in Sabah must involve equity ownership and project participation by capable Sabah government-linked companies with technical and financial capacity.
“The State Government, through the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS,) will ensure independent power producers’ (IPP) tariffs are competitive.
Each project is evaluated technically and financially through consultant appointments, cost structures are examined more transparently, and returns to developers are controlled at reasonable levels commensurate with project risks,” he said.
He said the role of ECoS in the Power Development Plan (PDP) is important, with the commission working to ensure Sabah’s electricity supply is efficient, safe and competitive.
The planning process involves the Single Buyer Sabah, which functions as the sole electricity purchaser for the state government, regulated by ECoS.
“The selection of optimal capacity and type of generation plant also takes into account planning criteria such as reserve margin, generation sources, development period of those sources, generation costs, loss of load equivalent and balanced generation mix,” he said.
He said the Sabah PDP is prepared by the State Government through ECoS to meet Sabah’s electricity demand.
“This 10-year plan is reviewed annually and presented to the Sabah Energy Council for approval, involving efforts from various expert parties, including the Single Buyer Sabah.
“The role of IPPs is maintained as a financing mechanism for energy sector development, but with stricter controls on costs and prices,” he said.
He said the State Government’s priority is to ensure supply security is guaranteed, system costs can be controlled and the interests of Sabah people are protected.
“The real solution is not the number of the IPPs or asset holdings by utilities, but competitive energy prices affordable to Sabah consumers,” he said.
