KOTA KINABALU: The value assessment of the remaining Pan Borneo Highway projects for Sabah will be held this month, said state Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya.
"I was made to understand that this month, a value assessment laboratory will be held to fine tune those packages to be launched this year.
"I am hoping that the remaining 20 packages of the phase 1 of Pan Borneo project will be implemented by year end," he said, adding that 15 of them had been tendered and some had the drawings completed.
Shahelmey was speaking to the media after the Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) Raya and Kaamatan festival at Wisma SESB here.
He attended the event on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Shahelmey said a committee, through the value assessment, would ensure the cost can be minimised while the design used for those packages can be optimised to prevent additional costs when they are being implemented.
These include Semporna-Tawau-Kinabatangan, Telupid-Ranau, Tuaran-Kudat packages, worth between RM10 and RM12 billion.
Shahelmey also said the project was two years behind the schedule due to financing.
"Last time, it was funded by sukuk, but the concept of project delivery partnership was terminated.
"Now, it is being funded through the development expenditure which is only RM1 billion per year, which is not enough.
"But with the recent tabling of the 2023 Budget, the federal finance minister has announced there is a RM20 billion allocation for the implementation of Pan Borneo Highway Sabah Sarawak.
"I believe a major portion of the RM20 billion will be given to Sabah to finish the balance 20 packages."
Present were SESB chief executive officer Mohd Yaakob Jaafar.