KUCHING: Two Sarawak Bumiputera contractors have been awarded jobs to construct about 15km of the Serian Roundabout to Pantu Junction works package contract of the Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak.
The two contractors – Konsortium Mahligai Budi Sdn Bhd and Konsortium Jajaran Borneo Sdn Bhd, will each construct about 7.5km at the Pantu Section over a 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 35 Bumiputera contractors that had earlier been given Letters of Intent (LOI) to participate in the Highway project under various works package contracts.
A simple ceremony was held yesterday to hand-over the Letter of Award to both contractors at Zecon Kimlun Consortium Sdn Bhd office here.
Construction of the Serian Roundabout to Pantu Junction stretch involves 75.015km. Out of this, 33.650km is in Serian Section which spans from Serian to Balai Ringin. Another 41.365km is under Pantu Section spanning from Balai Ringin to Pantu Junction.
In Parliament’s Ministerial questions and answers session earlier this week, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof revealed that the potential sub-contract value of Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak to be awarded to Bumiputera contractors is estimated to be RM5.19 billion.
These Bumiputera contractors will be divided into three categories, namely domestic, nominated and designated subcontractors.
“Domestic sub-contractors are estimated to be awarded RM3.51 billion, nominated subcontractors are expected to get RM977 million, while designated subcontractors would able to secure the remaining RM706 million,” he said.
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 from Telok Melano to Merapok will span a total distance of 1,060 km.
Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak is slated to be the transportation backbone of the states of Sabah and Sarawak and will play a major role to open up economic corridors and opportunities in areas it transverses.
