KUCHING, Oct 14 — Major road infrastructure projects will continue to be intensified next year through funds from Budget 2024, said Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

He said this includes the Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway Project, which is expected to be fully completed next year.

"Overall, the Works Ministry receives RM9.511 billion in allocations for 2024, which is a 12.7 per cent increase compared to the RM8.439 billion received in 2023.

"The total approved operating budget for the ministry is RM949.37 million, which is an increase of 9.72 per cent compared to RM865.27 million received for 2023. While the approved development budget for 2024, it is RM8.561 billion compared to RM7.573 billion in 2023, which is an increase of 13.05 per cent,” he said in a statement today.

To ensure that the roads are in the best condition for the people’s use, he announced RM2.8 billion will be utilised to maintain federal roads and bridges in line with empowerment of the MYJalan Campaign.

Nanta also said RM100 million will be used to maintain street lights, including replacing them with LED lights that can save electricity by up to 60 per cent.

He added a sum of RM50 million is also provided to improve conditions at accident prone areas, including upgrading the existing traffic lights to smart traffic lights on federal roads, which will also help to alleviate traffic congestion.

"Good road connectivity network facilitates the movement of people and goods and helps to generate the local economy,” he said.

On another matter, he said RM563 million will be allocated for landslide monitoring, prevention, and early warning reporting involving more than 2,000 high-risk slopes nationwide.

Nanta also mentioned that as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when tabling the Budget 2024 yesterday, Phase 2 of the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR), encompassing 320km and costing nearly RM7.4 billion, is poised to begin by the end of this year. — Borneo Post Online