KOTA KINABALU: Government agencies and companies must step up coordination for the smooth implementation of the Pan Borneo Highway, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said.

The Public Works Minister said that coordination meetings between contractors, consultants and the Sabah Public Works Ministry must be held more often to speed up the highway project’s smooth progress.

Of the 15 packages under Phase 1A of the Pan Borneo Highway Project, around 77.41 percent have been completed.

It involves four completed packages and 11 packages that are still under construction, he said, adding that it was expected to be completed in March 2026.

According to Linggi, several problems were identified and it mainly involved coordination between companies or contractors and government agencies as well as consultants who have their respective weaknesses.

"I hope this matter can be discussed with the Sabah Public Works Ministry so that we can deal with these problems through regular coordination meetings.

"Apart from that, the contractors also have problems in terms of finances because when they make a claim (for jobs done), they allege the claim was being processed too slowly.

"But in fact their claim could not be processed immediately due to incomplete documents," he told reporters after visiting the Pan Borneo Highway Phase 1A Project (WP06 Putatan-Inanam Package) and Flood Mitigation Works here Monday (July 20).

"After my discussions with the contractor and the Sabah Public Works Department, I find that regular meetings and coordination meetings were needed to resolve issues on the ground," Linggi said, adding that all parties will be called to jointly discuss matters that need to be resolved immediately.

"Which may not be easily resolved immediately, we will fine-tune what needs to be done so that we can speed up the completion of package 1 and 2 projects," he said.

Meanwhile, Linggi said that he had come to check on claims that the Pan-Borneo Highway project on the Putatan-Penampang - Inanam package had contributed to severe flooding in Penampang, following complaints raised in Parliament.

Linggi was briefed by Sabah PWD and Sabah Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) officials on the drainage situation in Penampang.

He said PWD and those managing the Pan-Borneo Highway construction in the area would work together with state DID in mitigating the issues.

Linggi said that DID had also informed him of flood mitigation plans along the Moyog River to Putatan but that they needed an allocation of around RM500 million.

On package 1B, he said that it was now open to tender by companies that pass the pre-qualification and in the procurement stage before obtaining the decision by the Finance Ministry by the third quarter of this year.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/29/linggi-orders-stakeholders-to-step-up-coordination-in-pan-borneo-implementation