Sarawak deputy premier unhappy with RM485 mil road project progress

KUCHING (April 6): Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas is dissatisfied with the progress of the over RM485 million government-funded Kuching-Samarahan Coastal Link Road project, which faces problems that can be solved.

Without specifying the problems, he said the state government was confident of tackling the issues faced by the project, which comprised three packages that were targeted to be completed by March 2025.

“The JKR (Public Works Department) has its standard operating procedure, strategies and the experience. Some of the problems faced are not really unsolvable,” he said in a statement issued by his office, following his visit to the project site on Tuesday (April 5).

The project’s three packages comprised a four-lane bridge across Sarawak River near Sejingkat which costs RM365,737,131, upgrading of 7.5 kilometres of the Kampung Tanjung Bako road (RM37,499,160) and construction of the seven-kilometre new road from Kampung Tanjung Bako to the Batang Samarahan Bridge (RM81,844,554).

Uggah, who is also the state Infrastructure and Ports Development Minister said he, along with his ministry’s senior officers would conduct frequent inspection visits to the projects being implemented to ensure that these would be completed on schedule. 

Uggah said the people had high expectations of the ministry and government to deliver the projects as scheduled, thus the importance of further tightening monitoring or supervising of the projects.

“If we rely on briefings in the office, it is not the same as visiting the project sites where we can see and gauge the actual situations. If there are problems, we and JKR can talk to the contractors concerned to find ways to solve them,” he said.

He also said that four flyover projects along Penrissen Road which cost RM352,966,210 would be completed by this year, with the one located at the 4th mile of the road already completed, the one at the 10th mile to be completed in May, followed by the 6th mile and 7th mile in June.

“I wish to thank the contractor for delivering as scheduled,” he added.

Uggah said a proposal had also been made to construct an underpass at the Matang roundabout to smoothen traffic flow in the northern part of the city.

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