KOTA KINABALU: Sipitang MP Matbali Musah says he will continue raising issues surrounding the implementation of the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah until the project is fully completed.
He said the move was necessary as the project’s progress in Sabah is far behind that in Sarawak.
Matbali said he plans to raise the matter again during the Dewan Rakyat sitting in June.
“The Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah must be completed quickly as it is a key transportation link and a catalyst for the state’s economic development,” he said when met at a Ramadan iftar event with media here yesterday.
Matbali, who is also chairman of the Malaysian Cocoa Board, said the issue has frequently been part of his debates in Parliament as he seeks to convey the concerns of Sabahans.
He added that progress had been seen after the matter was repeatedly raised, and that monitoring would continue, particularly along the Sindumin–Melalia–Beaufort stretch within the Sipitang parliamentary constituency.
Earlier this month, Deputy Works Minister Ahmad Maslan said the government had imposed liquidated ascertained damages (LAD) totalling RM31.8 million on two contractors for failing to complete works on the Sabah section of the Pan Borneo Highway within the stipulated time.
He said 23 work packages had been identified as delayed, citing factors such as unpredictable weather, land acquisition challenges, utility relocation issues and contractor performance.
