KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 ― The Cabinet today agreed to implement the Mass Rapid Transit Line 3 (MRT3) and improve the implementation of the Sabah-Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway (PBH) and flood mitigation projects.

For that, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said priority would be given to local contractors, especially Bumiputera.

He said this is also aimed to create business and job opportunities for Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family), hence driving the country’s economic development and growth.

"The implementation of high-impact infrastructure projects in the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak, including the construction of integrated rail lines and highways as well as flood mitigation projects, will catalyse economic development and contribute to the country’s competitiveness and the wellbeing of the people.

"The decision to implement those projects reflect the government’s concern to provide various opportunities for Malaysian families and strengthen the momentum of the country’s economic recovery,” he said in a statement here today.

Ismail Sabri said the nod given to the implementation of the MRT3 project was aimed at complementing the existing public transport infrastructure in the Klang Valley by providing integrated, affordable and seamless services to Malaysian families.

The MRT3 project was suspended by the Pakatan Harapan administration before the new Cabinet under the leadership of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin agreed to resume the project last year.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said the government also agreed to go ahead with the implementation of 19 additional work packages of Sabah LPB covering a distance of 367 km and a construction period of five years.

He said the first phase of the Sabah LPB, which encompasses 15 packages, had seen 52 per cent progress and was expected to be fully completed by October 2024, while the work progress of the first phase of Sarawak LPB involving a 786km alignment had reached 78 per cent.

"To complement the Sarawak LPB, the government has also agreed to implement the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) project and the Trans Borneo Highway (LTB) project,” he said.

Apart from that, he said the Cabinet also agreed to increase and expedite the implementation of flood mitigation projects with an additional allocation of RM15 billion for 2023 to 2030, after taking into account the last northeast monsoon surge 2021/2022 which resulted in loss of life and property damage.

The government currently provides a development budget of RM1 billion under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP). ― Bernama