HSL targets govt-funded mega projects in Sarawak

They include state coastal highway and second trunk road

KUCHING: Hock Seng Lee Bhd (HSL) has zoomed in to bid for several newly rolled-out Sarawak government-funded mega infrastructure projects.

Managing director Datuk Paul Yu Chee Hoe said HSL is eyeing the state coastal highway and second trunk road projects as well as contracts associated with the state water grid, as these projects draw on the group’s strength in geotechnical and marine engineering.

“Our procurement team has been busy of late with pre-qualification and tender submissions (for these projects). We are eyeing substantial new contracts,” he said.

Yu said project procurement was undertaken in line with the company’s prudent project management strategies, taking due consideration of group’s capacity, capabilities and competitive advantages.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg announced recently the state government’s allocation of RM11bil to finance road, water supply and electricity connectivity projects in the next two years.

Of the funds, Johari said RM6bil would be spent on the coastal highway, RM2.8bil on improving water supply and RM2.3bil on electricity projects.

The proposed coastal highway spans some 900km from Sematan in southern Sarawak to Miri in the north. Construction work for the first stretch is expected to get off the ground in six months.

The proposed second trunk road is to provide alternative shorter routes to the main trunk road, Pan Borneo Highway and the coastal road network.

The project is divided into three sections – the first being the 112km single carriageway from Kota Samarahan to Roban, Betong Division (existing road distance is 155km).

The second section involves the 94km sin- gle carriageway to link Sebuyau and Sri Aman/Betong and the third will see the upgrading and extension of the existing twolane carriageway to four lanes from Jalan Kelupu in Bintangor to Lanang bridge in Sibu.

There are also 247 water projects which comprise construction of new water treatment plants, a distribution network system, pipe replacement, upgrading works, non-revenue water management, modernisation and Sarawak’s alternative water supply.

Yu said HSL’s current order book stood at RM3bil, with some RM2.4bil unbilled.

The group’s main ongoing projects are Pan Borneo Highway work package, Kuching centralised wastewater management system (package 2) and Miri’s wastewater project.

HSL and joint-venture partner Dhaya Maju Infrastructure (Asia) Sdn Bhd are undertaking the RM1.7bil worth of highway work package that involves the construction and upgrading of a 75.97km stretch from Bintangor junction to Sibu Airport to Sungai Kua bridge in central Sarawak.

“We are seeing our construction activities ramp up since last year. We have been focused on project execution and our mega projects are progressing well into their mid-phases,” said Yu as he reviewed HSL’s first nine months’ performance.

Our procurement team has been busy of late with pre-qualification and tender submissions. We are eyeing substantial new contracts. Datuk Paul Yu Chee Hoe