KUCHING: Kuching Centralised Sewerage System Package 2 project has achieved 66 per cent completion and is expected to be ready by January 2024.
Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the project costing RM750 million, commenced in Sept 2017 and covers Kampung Gita, part of Jalan Matang, Jalan Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub and Padungan areas.
He said there was a delay of 18 per cent due to the general shortage of manpower and exceptionally hard underground rock layer.
“The contractor is monitoring closely and has implemented a catch up plan to progressively reduce the delay so that the project can be completed as scheduled by the first quarter of 2024,” he said.
He said this when delivering his ministerial winding up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting yesterday.
The Kuching Centralised Sewerage System Package 3, he said, was another federal government funded project, which has an approved scheme value of RM382 million.
Dr Sim, who is also the Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister, said the Value Assessment Lab conducted by the Federal Economic Planning Unit for this project has been completed in Sept 2022.
“The project is now in the final stage of the procurement process. Physical works are expected to commence by the first quarter of 2023,” he said.
Meanwhile, the implementation of Phase 1 of the Miri Centralised Sewerage System with a scheme value of RM428 million commenced in March, 2017.
Dr Sim said the works were divided into two packages; where Package A involved the installation of public sewer network and property connections and Package B involved the construction of a centralised sewage treatment plant with a 50,000 population equivalent sewage treatment process module.
Package B was fully completed in Nov 2020.
“However, the completion of Package A is delayed due to severe unfavourable underground soil conditions encountered at a depth of about 15 metres for a stretch of about 50 metres of the trunk sewer near to Sg Miri crossing at Tudan area,” he explained.
He said the department is now implementing a temporary solution so that the Miri Centralised Sewerage System Phase 1 can be commissioned immediately.
He added that the department targets to complete the temporary system and to commence the property connections within the next three months.
“This year, the federal government has also approved and allocated funds to commence Miri Centralised Sewerage System Phase 2 with a scheme value of RM450 million.
“This Phase 2 will further increase the coverage of the centralised sewerage system in Miri,” he said.
Dr Sim said the department was in the process of procuring the necessary consultancy services for the survey and design works, where physical works are scheduled to commence by the third quarter of 2024.
