All five packages of Northern Sarawak Coastal Highway devt to kick off soon
MIRI: Works on the RM6.1 billion Northern Sarawak Coastal Highway development should take off in the second half of this year, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
Upon its completion, this mega infrastructure connecting Limbang, Brunei and Miri to Lawas would have four lanes, he said, adding that the duration of the works would likely be five years.
“It would be divided into five packages, and construction will commence simultaneously (for each package),” he told The Borneo Post when asked about the status of the project during a Hari Raya Aidilfitri outing here yesterday.
Awang Tengah, also the state Minister for International Trade and Investment and Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development, said the Northern Sarawak Coastal Highway development would complement other on-going mega projects in the northern region, particularly in Lawas and Limbang, including the je y and deepwater port in Pulau Sari and the Lawas Airport project.
The Northern Coastal Highway, the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road, the Pan Borneo Highway and also the Lawas Airport project, are all under the greater development plan for Limbang Division.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had, last month, announced in Limbang that the coastal road project would proceed next year and the government had identified an area to be developed as a port and for the new Lawas Airport.
It was also stated that a private company would be involved in developing a recreational site facing Brunei Bay, located not far from the port.
The proposed facility at Pulau Sari, along with the new Lawas Airport, are crucial to the strategic plan of turning this district into a thriving economic and logistics centre that could also serve those beyond its borders.
The authorities see great potential for this deepwater port, and the studies undertaken by Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda) and a federal government agency have indicated that the project is feasible as the draught level is about 24m to 25m.
Lawas, in view of its strategic location in Borneo, aims to be an international gateway for the neighbouring East Kalimantan where the new Indonesian capital Nusantara would be established.
On the Lawas Airport project, Awang Tengah said the Phase I works should kick off this year.
“It will replace the current airport next to Lawas River, which is vulnerable to flooding during rainy season and also the high tide,” he said.
Yesterday, Awang Tengah and his wife Dato Dayang Morliah Awang Daud conducted Raya visits to the open houses hosted by federal Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni, Deputy Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak Datuk Rosey Yunus, and Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat.