SEBUYAU: The 28-kilometre dual carriageway project of the Second Trunk Road (STR) from Simunjan to Sebuyau will reduce the old travel distance by one-third.
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Aidel Lariwoo said that the RM524.8 million project is expected to be completed by December 2027.
Currently, he said the project has achieved a physical progress rate of 0.27 per cent, primarily involving site clearing work.
“At present, land clearing has been completed for nearly 14 kilometres (km). Next steps include sand filling and other related works.
“However, I am confident that the contractor will achieve a higher progress percentage in the coming months,” he said.
He told reporters this during a press conference after a working visit to the proposed construction of the new road to Sebuyau at the project site near Kampung Sungai Ladong, here today.
On the same note, the Sadong Jaya assemblyman lamented that the project faced some delays due to land blockages by individuals claiming ownership of the involved land.
However, he clarified that the two blocked sites, measuring 3.3km and 3.2km respectively, are lands not surveyed by the Land and Survey Department or without titles.
“We are working with the Sebuyau District Office and the Land and Survey Department to resolve this issue.
“Nevertheless, the contractor has commenced construction work from the other end in Sebuyau,” he added.
Elaborating further, Aidel said the project includes the construction of three new bridges over Sungai Ladong, Sungai Entangor, and Sungai Sebuyau.
He assured that the new road, built to R5 standards, will be equipped with additional traffic facilities and will be larger than the old 40-km road.
“There will also be an 800-metre elevated flyover or viaduct crossing the Sedilu National Park,” he added.
For the record, the STR project, estimated to cost a total of RM11 billion, aims to reduce travel time between Sibu and Kuching to about three hours.
The project is also anticipated to create new economic activity for the dwellers.
It includes a section from Batang Samarahan to Batang Sadong with a 13.7-km four-lane dual carriageway costing RM530 million, with an expected completion date of February 2027.
Overall, the STR consists of 20 projects, with 12 in various stages of construction, expected to be completed from the second quarter of this year to the second quarter of 2028. The remaining eight projects are expected to start in 2024.
These include the new Batang Samarahan Bridge with a nine-km dual carriageway, the Batang Samarahan-Batang Sadong dual carriageway (13km), Batang Saribas No. 2 Bridge, Batang Saribas to Roban Road (Intersection), Sebuyau-Lingga Road including the Sungai Lingga Bridge.
Other components are roads connecting Sungai Lingga to the existing Lingga Road to Sri Aman, upgrading the main road in Sri Aman town, Batang Lupar No 2 Bridge, Batang Lupar to Betong Road (intersection), and the Ulu Paku/Ulu Kota Link Road with upgrading of the existing Ulu Paku Road (Betong-Pakan Road).
