KUCHING, Feb 18— Ten work packages for the Pan Borneo Highway project from Sematan to Miri, stretching 746 km, will be tendered in phases this year, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said.

He said all the packages were scheduled to start this year and complete by 2022.

So far, work on two packages, namely the Nyabau Road Junction to Bakun Road Junction (43 km) in Bintulu and the Telok Melano to Sematan (33km) in Sematan have started, he said when officiating a High-Performing Bumiputera Companies Unit (TeraS) networking session here today.

The 1,089 km Pan Borneo Highway, with an estimated cost of RM16.4 billion consist of several packages.

Fadillah urged local contractors to identify areas that they could undertake in the project, based on their capacity and capability.

He said the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway Technical Committee headed by Sarawak State Secretary Tan Sri Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Gani had been formed to supervise the construction.

“The Federal Public Work Department will facilitate as a checker to ensure all contractors concerned abide by the stipulated standards, quality and timeframe given,” he said.

In another development, Fadillah thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib  Razak for not reducing his ministry’s budget under the 11th Malaysia Plan in the recalibrated 2016 Budget.

“Despite uncertainties over global oil prices, the federal government continues to support the national construction industry to sustain the economy.

“As such, my ministry is able to continue the five priority infrastructure projects approved under the First Rolling Plan (2016-2017) with an allocation of RM3.557 billion,” he said.

He said the amount would also be used to finance 19 new projects costing RM6.691 billion for which an initial allocation of RM513 million had been approved. — Bernama