Tiada kelewatan bayaran dalam projek Lebuhraya Pan Borneo, kata Ahmad Maslan

Dewan Rakyat was informed today that there is no delay in payments to the contractors of the Pan-Borneo Highway Project, according to Ahmad Maslan, Deputy Minister of Works and Plans. The performance of contractors needs to be addressed to ensure the project proceeds smoothly and on schedule, he stated. The payments for Phases 1A and 1B of the project have been made in line with the physical progress at the site, and the rate for both is either on schedule or ahead of it.

For Phase 1A, involving 15 work packages, the physical progress is 89.54%, compared to the schedule at 96.23%, while the financial payment reaches 88.78%. For the newly initiated Phase 1B, the physical progress has reached 24.76%, with a scheduled progress of 25.53%. In terms of finances, the scheduled payment is 20.73%, but the payments have already been made at 22.11%, meaning there is no issue with payments, he said in a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.

Ahmad responded to additional questions from Wetrom Bahanda (KDM-Kota Marudu) regarding the delay in the Pan-Borneo Highway Project, which is allegedly due to failure in paying contractors according to the actual progress of work and hiring contractors without expertise. He did not deny the existence of issues related to contractor performance that need to be addressed to ensure the project proceeds smoothly and on schedule.

As a result, the Ministry of Works and Plans (KKR) is tightening monitoring through monthly meetings to investigate the development of the project and address any issues that arise. "Previously, we never had such a monthly meeting facilitated by the Permanent Secretary for Sabah and the Deputy Secretary-General of KKR, both of whom are in Sabah every month to ensure the project is carried out properly," he said.

Meanwhile, Ahmad said several mitigation measures have been and are being implemented to ensure the Pan-Borneo Highway Project is completed on schedule. He said among the mitigation measures is intensifying monitoring through the establishment and strengthening of a Special Task Force or Steering Committee to assess contractor performance, identify the root cause of delays, and devise solutions to emerging issues.