KUALA LUMPUR – The study on the construction of the East Coast Expressway Phase 3 (LPT3) has been completed and submitted to the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister’s Department, said Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said the Works Ministry was waiting for further action from the relevant agencies and the EPU would decide if the expenditure for LPT3 would be allocated in the first rolling plan of the 12th Malaysia Plan or later.
According to Fadillah, this would depend on the government’s financial capability and would also take into consideration the project priority of each state.
“Our (the ministry’s) responsibility is to conduct research. We now have to see what is the next course of action in terms of allocation,” he told reporters after the soft launch of the 11th Malaysian Road Conference and Exhibition, and the 4th International Road Federation Asia-Pacific Regional Congress here today.
The government had previously approved the construction of LPT3 with preliminary works totalling RM35 million.
The proposed construction involves a 150-km stretch from Gemuroh, Terengganu to Tumpat, Kelantan.
When asked if there was labour shortage in the construction sector, Fadillah said the problem has been eased following the re-entry of foreign workers into the country since last month.
Meanwhile, he said MRC 2022 and the fourth Asia-Pacific Regional IRF Congress would be held simultaneously from October 11 to 13 at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre.
He hoped that innovative designs, building materials, new methods and techniques would be introduced during the three-day conference and congress.
He said the planning, construction, maintenance and management of the federal and state roads covering 254,000km must be looked into to ensure they remain resilient. – Bernama, September 6, 2022
