KINARUT: The federal government has approved an allocation of RM457 million for the period from 2012 to 2015 to upgrade the Pan Borneo highway linking Sabah, Brunei and Sarawak, said Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin.
Out of the total amount, Sabah and Sarawak each received RM50 million last year, Rosnah said.
“Aside from works to upgrade the road, the allocation also involves works on improving the Pan Borneo road network,” she told reporters at the closing of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Contractors’ Course here on Sunday night.
Rosnah said that the government, through the Finance Ministry, will be providing opportunities for Class F contractors to be involved in the Pan Borneo project but it would be dependent on the contractor’s capacity.
“I had proposed for a briefing session by the Works Ministry on the Pan Borneo highway project for the mass media in Sabah,” she said, adding that it may be held before the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.
The Pan Borneo highway will start in Sindumin at the Sabah-Sarawak border, and end at Serudong at the Sabah-Kalimantan border. Several sections of the highway have already been constructed but are in need of upgrading.