Abandoned projects under 9MP to be revived - Shaziman

JELI (Kelantan): There are 1,673 abandoned projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan and the government will be reviving them. "These projects were abandoned due mainly to contractorweaknesses, problems with building materials, techincal scope and the weather," said Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor.

"The Public Works Department had planned for 3,737 projects under the 9MP,"  Shaziman told reporters after visting the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at Bukit Bunga here on Monday May 3.

Besides the CIQ complex, the completion of the second Sultan Yahya bridge in Kota Baru was to be given priority hence Shaziman said the ministry was careful in choosing the contractors for the job.

Commenting on the Friendship Bridge project to link Bukit Bunga and Ban Buketa in Southern Thailand, Shaziman said he was satisfied that the complex would be ready by June.   

"The porject was 75 per cent ready when it was abandoned by the previous contractor. It  was supposed to be completed by December 2008.
"The second contractor has provided guarantee to complete the project by June and the additional cost has not been determined," he said.

The cost of the CIQ complex was actually RM37.2million to be built beginning June 2007. In December 2009, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejajiva had officiated the opening of the Friendship Bridge. - Bernama