Pan Borneo contract terminations require assessment, says minister
Only one contractor has had its contract terminated over project delays following a comprehensive assessment, according to the works minister.
The Works Ministry must establish what caused delays before terminating contracts for the Pan Borneo Highway, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said, noting that contractors are not necessarily solely responsible for work falling behind schedule.
Nanta said requests for more time required scrutiny of whether government agencies or other factors had contributed to the delays. Only one contractor had so far lost its contract because of delays, after a comprehensive assessment.
He cited unresolved land acquisition and compensation matters as possible barriers to site access, even when contractors were ready to start. Water pipes and underground cables awaiting relocation could also hold up construction because work could damage those utilities.
The ministry had established task forces, monitoring committees and a steering committee to resolve such obstacles, he said. These allow site problems to be raised and decisions made promptly. Senior ministry officials were also making regular site visits, alongside closer cooperation with the Sabah and Sarawak Public Works Departments.
Nanta spoke after recording an episode of Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme, scheduled for broadcast on Nov 16. Completion of work packages in Sabah stands at only 11.4%, more than 10 years after implementation began, while the Sarawak section is approaching completion.
