Pan-Borneo Highway will be toll-free
Published on: Saturday, March 28, 2015
Kuala Lumpur: The Sarawak stretch of the 2,083km Pan-Borneo Highway will be toll-free as there are no alternate roads connecting the state to Brunei and Sabah.Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said unlike the North-South Expressway operated by Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan, the Pan-Borneo Highway was the sole direct route that was being built for the benefit of road users, the business community and the public."More people in Sarawak and other regions are using the roads to travel, some of which take many hours to reach.
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"With the highway, they can travel faster for a shorter distance and more comfortably."This will certainly boost trade, tourism and other industries," he said at TV3's Soal Jawab interview at Sri Pentas, Bandar Utama.The official route for the highway begins in Miri and continues north towards Brunei, Limgang and Lawas in Sarawak, into Sabah via Sindumin and onto Sipitang, Beaufort, Papar, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Tawau and ends in Serudong on the Sabah/East Kalimantan border.The four-lane dual carriageway also extends southwards from Miri towards Bintulu, Sibu and Kuching, and ends at Sematan on the West Kalimantan/Sarawak border.
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Fadillah said the Sabah section of the highway would take off one negotiations between the state and federal governments as well as private entities were concluded.On the coast overrun from the initial RM13billion, Fadillah said it was initially planned to cover 1,663km in 2009.
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"But now, the cost of land, materials and labour have increased."Also, facilities like rest and recreations, surau and toilets have been included."He was confident that the highway would be completed as planned as the concessionaires would be benefit by saving on loan interest from banks with quicker completion."The ministry will ensure the concessionaire complies with the required standards, quality and safety aspects as per the standards operating procedure," he said.The minister said Sarawakian entrepreneurs would be given priority when tendering for contracts, but they had to meet standards, be qualified and capable.As for the environmental, economic and social concerns, Fadillah said considerations had been taken into account to safeguard them."Smaller villages and towns will benefit from the highway as property prices will boom and their areas will develop rapidly.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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