Work on Pan Borneo Highway to start next year

Look over there: Fadillah (right) looking at Jalan Song during a site visit at the Pan Borneo trunk road. — Bernamapic

KUCHING: The Prime Minister will announce a start date and details of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) building of the Pan Borneo Highway next year.

This is according to Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who said the Prime Minister’s Office was working out the final details.

“Next year works on some packages will begin. But let the PM announce the rest next year. OK?” Fadillah told reporters on Saturday when pressed for details.

He was speaking to the media during a site visit to Padawan Mile-10, where a 8km stretch would be upgraded to dual carriageway starting next May.

The long-awaited Pan Borneo Highway will largely be a widening of the existing Pan Borneo Trunk Road, construction of which first started when Malaysia was formed over 50 years ago.

The trunk road is the only land system linking all major towns and cities in Sarawak and Sabah.

Last month during the tabling of the federal budget it was revealed the highway construction would be fast-tracked under the PPP model.

As for Government funding approved next year for the trunk road, RM500mil is allocated for Sarawak and Sabah each. Upgrades for the Sarawak portion next year includes 22 overtaking lanes.

The overall estimated cost of the highway is RM27bil.

On the upgrading of the 8km stretch from Padawan, Fadillah said it was to close the “missing link” between Kuching and Serian.

“This is the only 8km single carriageway between here and Serian. It is also part of the Pan Borneo road. Once that is done, it will be dual carriageway from Kuching to Serian,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, state Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Michael Manyin said the Sarawak Government-funded underpass at a heavily congested junction in Petra Jaya should begin in February.

The Jalan Datuk Temenggong Abang Kipali Abang Akip underpass, which will replace the existing roundabout, will be larger and more complex then the Mile-3 underpass, said Manyin.

“At the same time, the third bridge linking Kuching (inner city) with Petra Jaya via Matang will also begin next year. It is in the tender stage,” Manyin added.