Cost of Pan Borneo Highway project to be announced on Feb 20

Following flak from state leaders, Works Minister Baru Bian said the comprehensive cost of the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sarawak will be announced on Feb 20.

Baru said the announcement will be made when Lebuhraya Borneo Utara Sdn Bhd (LBU), which is the current project delivery partner (PDP), executes the handover of the project to the Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR) that day.

“A lot of things (are) not detailed yet.

“But by Feb 20, you will hear (an) announcement from my ministry,” he told reporters after officiating the Cultural Night Run 2020 @2nd Bridge Penang at the Malaysian Highway Authority’s headquarters in Kajang yesterday.

Baru refused to confirm whether the cost of the project has increased following criticism from state leaders who disputed the cost of the highway.

“You wait for me Feb 20, you will see the details.

“In the meantime, just wait, be patient,” said Baru, who added that based on information by LBU, the Pan Borneo Highway is 43% complete.

“But I need to see the details myself by going down to the ground,” he added.

On Feb 9, Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah demanded Baru reveal the actual cost of Pan Borneo Highway running through the state.

Former works minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof had on Feb 8 chided Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng for claiming that RM3.1bil will be saved by Putrajaya for terminating the PDP for the project.

Fadillah claimed Lim had inflated the original cost of the project from RM16.5bil to RM21.9bil, adding that the project now runs a risk of being delayed from its original completion date, which is by the end of 2021.