BN Government Delivers Pan Borneo Highway As Promised - Adenan

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has honoured his election promise to deliver the Pan Borneo Highway to us when he launched this project on 31st March 2015.

Chief Minister Datuk Tan Sri Haji Adenan Satem said, the Prime Minister has also committed to ensure that the project main contractor appoints local contractors to undertake the job.

"We have seen how a well-planned and extensive highway networks have been successful in changing the economic landscape and accelerating the economic growth of a country. Highways are needed to improve the mobility of people and transportation of goods effectively and efficiently from one point to another."

Adenan pointed out that, in the case of Peninsular Malaysia, the development of the North-South Highway (PLUS) has helped to integrate and transform the economy of Peninsular Malaysia to what it is today.

He said this in winding-up speech during the State Legislative Assembly Sitting at Petra Jaya, Kuching here today.

"We in Sarawak do not want to be left behind. All this while, we have been waiting for the development of the Pan Borneo Highway as we believe this highway will bring about significant socio-economic progress to our State as can be seen from the impact of highways in Peninsular Malaysia."

"We, Sarawakians are indeed thankful to the Prime Minister and the Federal Government in approving this project and we should not waste our time debating on the polemics about this project.."

"Instead, we should be grateful that this highway will not impose any toll on road users and will be completed within the period of eight years," he said adding that the project is the single largest infrastructure project ever undertaken in the State and will have tremendous impact to transform the rural areas.

"In this regard, this mega project will be the catalyst to accelerate growth and development in the State as it covers the whole length and breadth of Sarawak especially the rural areas."

"Rural road networks will link to the Pan Borneo Highway, thus helping to integrate the rural and urban economies especially in the movement of goods and people between the two areas."

He said that, the construction and completion of Pan Borneo Highway will also further strengthen the transportation network and logistics system that we have in the State.

"This will help to reduce the costs of transportation resulting in lower costs of doing business in the State. We believe that this project will help to make Sarawak a competitive place to do business in the country."

"As for the State logging roads, the Federal Government has agreed to provide funding to improve these roads. For those roads located in the remote areas, the Federal Government has also agreed to undertake the construction of these roads under the Jiwa Murni projects," he added. - Sarawakiana