Works Ministry to run monthly inspection on late projects

SEBUYAU: Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusuf says his ministry will carry out monthly monitoring on projects in the state, of which progress is behind schedule.

According to him, most of the projects that are being implemented in the state under the purview of the ministry are behind schedule — among them, Sri Aman hospital, Samarahan bridge, Sungai Rimbas bridge, Emart Roundabout and the stretch of Pan Borneo highway from Mile 10 to Mile 15.

“We will closely monitor the projects ( under the purview of Works Ministry) that are being implemented in the state because we want all the projects that are approved by the government to be completed on time to benefit the people,” he told a press conference at Sebuyau Area Fishermen Association ( PKNS) hall, here.

He had earlier attended a discussion with local community leaders from villages near the proposed Batang Lupar bridge project.

On the Samarahan bridge, which is expected to be completed in June next year, he said there was slight delay due land acquisition problem, stressing that the construction of the project is currently going on smoothly.

On the Sungai Rimbas bridge, he said the project was 94 per cent complete and urged Public Works Department (JKR) to send a team to closely monitor the progress, which he pointed out was behind schedule.

He said the project should be completed this August.

Touching on the Emart Roundabout project, the minister said it was five per cent behind schedule and hoped that the contractor could catch up and meet the 65 per cent completion by now.

Fadillah also noted that the stretch of Pan Borneo highway from Mile 10 to Mile 15 was two per cent behind schedule.

The project should have been 57 per cent completed by now, he stressed.

On the Sri Aman Hospital, Fadillah said the project was 200 days behind the scheduled time, adding that the project should be completed in August next year.

“We will monitor the project monthly and at the moment the monthly progress is more than 30 per cent,” he said, adding that the contrtactor had faced problems like difficulty in looking for suitable piling materials and land issues which have been solved.

Fadillah also said that tender for the Jalan Tun Hussein flyover project is expected in September this year, while the Rambungan bridge is still under design stage by the state government.

We will closely monitor the projects (under the purview of Works Ministry) that are being implemented in the state because we want all the projects that are approved by the government to be completed on time to benefit the people. Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusuf, Works Minister