MIRI, May 7 — The construction of Phase Two and Three of the Sabah-Sarawak Link Road (SSLR) Project which connects Sabah and Sarawak without going through Brunei is currently in the process of management and price evaluation.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said after the completion of the process, the project will be brought for tender.
He said, the first phase of the project which started from Lawas to Pa Berunut has already begun.
“I have been entrusted by the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) to assist Public Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi to ensure infrastructure development in Sarawak is implemented as soon as possible,” he said.
Fadillah said this during the Peng Lamei Ledoh Pahu Kayan 2023 ceremony held in conjunction with the end of the harvest season organised by the Sarawak Kayan Association here last night.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that Phase Two of the Pan Borneo project connecting Miri with Limbang and then Lawas via Brunei will be implemented during this term.
According to him, the sparse population in remote areas in Sarawak is a challenge because according to the federal government’s development plan, the focus of development is on densely populated areas.
This caused the area to lag far behind in terms of development, but the government has begun to give serious focus to development in Sarawak.
At the Sarawak state level, he said several regional development authorities have been established which are seen to be able to implement the development of feeder roads that can connect Pan Borneo with coastal roads.
“It means that the logging roads will be upgraded and this is expected to help improve the communication infrastructure in Sarawak,” he said, adding that every project that is implemented does not run away from facing various challenges such as the number of contractors and construction materials.
At the same time, he called for non-governmental organisations in Sarawak to collaborate with the Sarawak Foundation in organising programmes that can improve the knowledge and skills of human capital in the state. — Bernama
