KUCHING – The RM285 million Batang Igan Bridge project that connects Sarawak’s coastal road network is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in 2024, the Works Ministry said.
In a statement today, the ministry said the project is now being fully implemented by the state government, which took over after it was approved by the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration before eventually being cancelled by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.
The ministry said the project, which was supposed to begin in 2018, had never been delayed but was not continued by the PH administration after the 2018 general election.
“In fact, PH had cancelled two other major bridge projects in coastal Sarawak, namely the Batang Lupar and Batang Rambungan bridges.
“Construction of both bridges will now be continued by the Sarawak government,” it said.
The ministry said the Batang Igan project was approved by the Prime Minister’s Department Economic Planning Unit on February 23, 2016, with preliminary works including design completed in the same year.
“Unfortunately, the Finance Ministry under the then PH government on August 3, 2018, decided to postpone the project.
“Early 2019, the PH government decided not to proceed with three bridge projects, namely the Batang Igan, Batang Lupar and Batang Rambungan bridges, with implementation subsequently taken over by the state government,” the ministry added in the statement.
The takeover of the projects by the Sarawak government is to ensure residents living along the state’s coastal areas will not be left out of mainstream development, the ministry added. – Bernama, December 10, 2021
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