Lajim: Pan Borneo contractors unlikely to be 100pc local
Published on: Wednesday, November 22, 2017
STATE opposition leader Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib strongly stated that the Pan Borneo Highway project would involve 100 per cent local contractors.Instead, he said, the Works Minister only give 'hint' or 'clue' that the mega project also open to outside companies with an excuse that Sabah lacks eligible contractors.Therefore, he said the announcement of full use of local contractors are just only to make the people of Sabah feel good.ADVERTISEMENT "While Sabah is still expecting funds from Federal for the Pan Borneo Highway project, billions of Ringgit has been prepared for modernisation and upgrade of infrastructure and transportation system in the peninsula."Among them is the RM32 billion fund for MRT2 project, Coastal Highway from Banting Selangor to Taiping, Perak for a cost of RM5 billion, and East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) that connects Klang Port with Pengkalan Kubor in Kelantan."While the people in Sabah only possess a locomotive left over by the British to be used along 134 kilometres of railway from Tenom to Tanjung Aru," he said.On the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Lajim who was also a former assemblyman under Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), said the issue of religion raised by a senior politician was unnecessary.ADVERTISEMENT Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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He said although PBS had two-third majority in the 48 seats in the State Legislative Assembly, the then ruling party did not make any amendment to Article 5A of Sabah Constitution where Islam is the official religion in Sabah. Even the non-Muslims leaders at that time, he said, had no objection to Article 5A.