Kuala Lumpur: Sandakan Member of Parliament Vivian Wong Shir Yee told parliament that the Pan Borneo Highway is a disappointment in Sabah as only four of the 16 Phase 1A packages have been completed after more than a decade.
She cited a report by The Edge Malaysia dated July 28 that highlighted the cancellation of a RM1.07 billion contract awarded to Ireka Corporation for Pan Borneo construction works.
She questioned why almost all project tenders are still awarded through peninsula-based channels despite the projects being implemented in Sabah.
“When we question why Sabah contractors are not given a chance, the answer is that Sabah has no contractors that are on par with those in the peninsula.
“But what results have these peninsula contractors delivered so far?” she asked during the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13) debate in the Dewan Rakyat.
She said instead of continuing to tolerate the “Ali Baba” contractor system, where tenders are awarded to main contractors who then pass the work down through multiple layers of sub-contractors, the government should allow the state to handle direct tendering to empower truly qualified local contractors.
She said the Federal Government also has to urgently address the glaring development gap between Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia, particularly in the East Coast.
“RMK-13 emphasises inclusive and high-impact development, but if none of this reaches Sabah, especially the East Coast, it will remain nothing but rhetoric,” she said.
She said the people of Sabah want results, not repeat promises featured in national development plans.
She described recurring issues such as power outages, lack of clean water and poor road conditions as the “triple hardship” that continues to burden the people of Sabah.
“Blackouts, dry taps, and moon-like roads — this is the daily reality that continues to hinder the state’s economic progress,” she said.
She called for the immediate implementation of the Southern Link Grid Line and the Sarawak-Sabah Grid Interconnection to address the prolonged electricity supply crisis in the East Coast.
On water, she questioned the delay in an alternative water source study which is only scheduled to begin in 2026, despite salinity problems at Sungai Segaliud being reported since 2022.
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