KOTA KINABALU: Field work for the construction of a road linking Sabah and Kalimantan, Indonesia, has commenced, the Sabah State Assembly was informed.
Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, who is also the state Minister of Works, confirmed that land surveying, utility mapping, and land investigations are currently underway.
The project involves a new road alignment from Kalabakan, Sabah, to the Malaysia-Indonesia border at Simanggaris, covering 28 kilometres. A spur road connecting Kampung Serudong Laut, spanning 20 kilometres, is also part of the plan.
Shahelmey stated that the federal government, through the Ministry of Works, has approved the preliminary study and design under Rolling Plan 3 of the 12th Malaysia Plan.
Another proposed alignment runs from Pekan Pagalungan in Sabah to Bantul Town in Kalimantan. This project, funded by the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, is currently in the procurement phase.
Responding to queries about additional road alignments from Sindumin and Long Pasia to the Indonesian border, Shahelmey noted that these proposals would be evaluated based on necessity.
“The proposed alignment extends deeper into Kalimantan than the current project. We may explore more suitable routes, such as those connecting to Sarawak,“ he said. - BERNAMApix
