Sabah DAP lawmakers deny PH slashed budget for Pan Borneo Highway

 By Olivia Miwil - September 22, 2021 @ 2:23pm

Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin (centre), Sandakan MP Vivian Wong (left) and Tenom MP Noorita Sual. - Pic courtesy of Sabah DAP.

KUALA LUMPUR: State DAP lawmakers denied Pakatan Harapan (PH) has slashed the budget for the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway Sabah.

Yesterday, Kinabatangan member of parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said the budget cut had caused delays in the construction of the highway project in Sabah.

Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin said Bung had made the situation regarding the Pan Borneo Highway project clear in last year's state assembly sitting.

Bung, who is the state Public Works minister, said Sabah had proposed the federal government terminate the services of the Project Delivery Partner in 2019.

When it was terminated in September last year, the implementation of the project became completely dependent on development expenditure and it was implemented by the Sabah Public Works Department.

"Following the changes, 20 work packages are not being awarded and only one has been approved for 2021.

"Sabah is also expecting only five or six work packages to be completed under the 12th Malaysian Plan (2021-2025)," he said in a joint statement with Tenom MP Noorita Sual and Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee.

Chan added that up to March this year, only 15.4 per cent of the first phase was completed although works were awarded five years ago during the Barisan Nasional era.

In comparison with the Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway project in 2019, he said the neighbouring state has completed 38 per cent while Sabah only 12 per cent.

"As Sabah Public Works minister, Bung should find the real cause of the delay in Sabah compare to Sarawak instead of finding scapegoats."