Kota Kinabalu: Sipitang Member of Parliament Datuk Matbali Musah has pledged to continue raising issues related to the implementation of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project until it is fully completed.
He said this was important as the overall implementation of the project in Sabah has lagged far behind compared with Sarawak.
As such, he said he would raise the matter again during the debate at the Dewan Rakyat sitting in June, this year.
“The Sabah’s Pan Borneo Highway project must be completed as soon as possible as it serves as a vital transportation link and a catalyst for the state’s economic development,” he said.
He said this when met at a Ramadan Iftar event with the media here on Thursday night.
Matbali, who is also chairman of the Malaysian Cocoa Board, said the Pan Borneo Highway project has often been the focus of his debates in Parliament, as it was meant to convey the sentiments of the people of Sabah.
“After raising the matter several times in Parliament, there has indeed been progress in terms of the project’s implementation.
“Therefore, we will continue to monitor its development, especially in the Sipitang parliamentary constituency, namely the Sindumin–Melalia–Beaufort alignment,” he said.
Matbali added that in doing so, the Federal Government would be able to provide answers and the latest updates on its implementation from time to time.
On March 3, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the government had imposed liquidated ascertained damages (LAD) amounting to RM31.8 million on two contractors involved in the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project for failing to complete their work within the stipulated timeframe.
According to Ahmad Maslan, a total of 23 work packages were identified as being delayed compared with the project’s original schedule.
Matbali said the delays were influenced by several key factors including unpredictable weather conditions, challenges in land acquisition, utility relocation issues as well as contractor performance at the project sites,” he said.
