BETONG (June 19): Contractors undertaking new road construction projects in Sarawak should not rely on old types of machinery prone to frequent breakdowns.

Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the state minister of infrastructure and port development, said this would result in time wasted repairing the machine or waiting for spare parts to arrive, thus leading to unnecessary delays.

“People will question the integrity and seriousness of contractors to complete projects that had been awarded to them when their machines suffer frequent breakdowns,” he said at the groundbreaking ceremony to upgrade the Penyulok/Nanga Penebak/Ulu Penebak Road in Ulu Layar here on Wednesday.

He said the State Public Works Department (JKR) had been directed to be strict in monitoring the progress of road contractors’ works and not to hesitate to terminate the contract of those who fail to adhere to the work plan, scope and schedule.

"This is to prevent any project ending up as a delayed or even critically delayed," he said, adding that when projects are delayed, the people will blame the government and the area's elected representatives.

Meanwhile, Betong Member of Parliament Dr Richard Rapu, who also spoke at the ceremony, said the upgrading of the road was part of the government’s continued efforts to improve the infrastructure in the rural areas of Sarawak.

The RM15.3 million upgrading work involves improving a 4.83km stretch to JKR R1 standard road complete with solar-powered street lighting and set to be completed by the end of next year.

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