KUCHING: Two Sarawak Bumiputera contractors were awarded the jobs to build 15 km of Pan Borneo Highway (PBH) from the Serian Roundabout and from Pantu Junction.
The two contractors, namely, Konsortium Mahligai Budi Sdn Bhd and Konsortium Jajaran Borneo Sdn Bhd, will each construct about 7.5 km of the PBH over the duration of 24 months beginning April this year under main works package contractor, Zecon Kimlun Consortium Sdn Bhd.
These two contractors are the first Sarawak Bumiputera companies to secure Letters of Award (LOA) out of the 35 that had earlier been given Letters of Intent (LOI) to participate in the Pan Borneo Highway project under various works package contracts.
The Letters of Award were presented to both contractors in a simple ceremony held at Zecon Kimlun Consortium Sdn Bhd office here on Friday.
The construction of the Pan Borneo Highway from Serian Roundabout to Pantu Junction involves the distance of 75.015 km. Of this stretch, 33.650 km is in Serian Section which spans from Serian to Balai Ringin. The 41.365 km under Pantu Section spans from Balai Ringin to Pantu Junction.
During the ministerial question and answer session in the Parliament earlier this week, Works Minister Datuk Seri Haji Fadillah Yusof revealed that the potential sub-contract value of Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak to be awarded to Bumiputera contractors was estimated at RM5.19 billion.
The Bumiputera contractors will be divided into three categories, namely, domestic, nominated and designated subcontractors.
“Domestic subcontractors are estimated to be awarded contracts worth RM3.51 billion, nominated subcontractors are expected to get RM977 million, while designated subcontractors would be able to secure the remaining RM706 million,” said Fadillah.
The Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak was officially launched by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Bintulu on 31 March, 2015.
When completed in 2021, Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak will span a total distance of 1,050 km from Telok Melano in Lundu to Merapok in Lawas.
Pan Borneo Highway is slated to be the transportation backbone of Sabah and Sarawak and will play a major role in opening up economic corridors and opportunities in areas it transverses.
