Pan Borneo Highway project going quite well — Fadillah
KUCHING: The Pan Borneo Highway project is going along well, with Phase 1 ahead of time, said Works Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof.
At the moment, the project is focused on Phase 2, Miri-LimbangLawas, and hopefully by next month the specifics of it can be finalised and the tender process can be started next year.
Aside from that, there is also a request for a new Customs, Immigration and Quarantine ( CIQ) road from the state government, he said.
“For now, Phase 1 is ahead of time and overall will complete by 2021. It is being implemented by packages, some earlier packages can be completed earlier,” he said when asked on the progress of the project after launching the Khatam Al- Quran event at SK Petra Jaya here yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Sungai Rimbas Bridge will be launched by the Chief Minister in December at a date to be announced later, he added.
Asked on the state government’s discussion with federal
For now, Phase 1 is ahead of time and overall will complete by 2021. It is being implemented by packages, some earlier packages can be completed earlier. Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof, Works Minister
government to let the state manage the contractors appointed by the federal government to prevent projects from getting behind schedule, he said both sides were working together on the matter.
He explained that for implementation, it is based on tender, and his ministry works together with the state government and involves the Public Works Department.
“It does not matter who coordinates, sometimes a contractor with good track record is selected but will sometimes run into unavoidable circumstances along the way leading to delays. So this is one of the problems we are facing,” he said.
Earlier, he said that as the world is getting more advanced, teachers and parents need to update themselves to these changes so that they can guide the younger generation and equip them with necessary skills to do well in the future.
“Nowadays, we need not only knowledgeable manpower like doctors and engineers, but also skilled workers. So it depends on the child’s inclination and we guide them accordingly. If they are more into academic side let them study more, but if they are more into making things then let them learn skills. Either way, they will be useful in the development of the country, don’t force them to do things they are not inclined to do.”
To continue developing the nation, 60 per cent of manpower demand are for skilled workers, hence there is a good future in taking up skills courses, he said.
A total of 98 Primary 6 pupils took part in the Khatam AlQuran event which aimed to encourage pupils to have a better understanding of Islamic teachings and to make Quran reading a part of their daily life.