Batang Lupar Bridge 1 set for completion by end-2025 — Uggah
KUCHING: The Batang Lupar Bridge 1 in Sebuyau is expected to be completed by December next year, and open to the public by January 2026, says Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
The Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development says the rescue contractor is expected to complete the new 5.7km two-lane single carriageway approach road worth RM107.5 million connecting the bridge by November next year.
“We have agreed to work on a timeline for the RM107.5 million road to be completed hopefully by November 2025. This is because we are looking at the plan for the bridge to be ready a month later.
“Then by January 2026, we can open the bridge for public use,” he said following a site visit to the project site yesterday.
The bridge project was one of three ‘sick’ projects that Uggah visited yesterday.
According to him, the Batang Lupar Bridge 1 approach road is a very critical component of the project.
“What we do not want to see is that the bridge is completed, but not the road. So we had a good discussion with its new contractor.
“There were some issues but apparently they have been resolved now for the JKR (Public Works Department) and the contractor to work out the critical path analysis to ensure it can be completed.”
On the other ‘sick’ project visited, namely the 6.3-km single carriageway connecting Jalan Kampung Tanjung Bako and Kuching/Samarahan Expressway on the Sarawak Coastal Road in Samarahan, Uggah said this RM106.9 million carriageway road project was handed over to a new contractor on Aug 8 last year.
“It is 5.2 per cent done – ahead of the current schedule of 4.55 per cent,” he said, adding that the project is expected to be completed by early February 2026.
The third ‘sick’ project he visited was the upgrading work on the 14.9km Jalan Padawan (Phase 1) in Serian Division.
Uggah said a new contractor had just taken over this project on Feb 16 this year, and it is hoped the upgrading works would be completed by Aug 15, 2026.
He said all three rescue contractors had been putting in encouraging efforts in reviving these projects by continuing with the remaining construction.
“The previous contractors had their contracts terminated due to their failure to deliver as scheduled. I am pleased to note that the new contractors are doing their job as scheduled.
“I hope they would continue with their momentum. We cannot afford to have projects being delayed. When projects are approved and implemented, the people expect them to be completed on time.”
He stressed that contractors who faced problems in terms of implementation would be replaced if they fail to deliver.
“So with the appointment of the new contractors to rescue these projects, it is our hope that they (projects) could be completed. We will continue to closely monitor all projects statewide which have been awarded to rescue contractors.”
Among those present were Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development permanent secretary Datu Chiew Chee Yaw, and JKR Sarawak deputy director Cassidy Morris.