LAHAD DATU: Deputy Minister of Works, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, has issued a firm reminder to contractors involved in the Pan Borneo Highway project, stressing that no further extension of time (EOT) should be granted for current and future phases of construction of the Package 1B.
He said he had received a briefing about the Package 1A and 1B of the project, where work on 1A had been awarded some time ago, while contracts for 1B were only finalised at the end of last year.
Despite the differing timelines, he emphasised that no additional EOT should be considered, regardless of the reasons provided by the contractors.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});The minister said that approving an EOT for one company could set a precedent, potentially leading to a domino effect where other contractors also request delays.
He explained that such a situation had occurred during the execution of Package 1A, which saw repeated extensions and substantial project delays.
“Delays in Package 1B would ultimately disadvantage the people, the government, and the contractors themselves,” he said.
According to Ahmad Maslan projects that are carried out ahead of time (AOT) will provide benefit all parties especially the contractors.
The AOT will also enable the people to enjoy the infrastructure and ends their misery.
He said previously the road maintenance was handled by specific concessionaires, but areas under Pan Borneo are now the responsibility of appointed contractors.
Failure to maintain these roads, he stressed, leads to damage that causes long-term hardship for road users.
The Deputy Minister pointed out that several components under Package 1A had received as many as four or five EOT approvals, leading to delays of up to three years.
He said that under his tenure—and that of Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi—the ministry would no longer tolerate excessive or frivolous EOT applications.
He also warned against contractors inventing or exaggerating reasons for delay.
