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SARAWAK has submitted an official proposal to the Federal Government to construct a super-highway along the 1,000 km long Sarawak-Kalimantan border plus a 500 km link road to connect the border superhighway to the Pan Borneo Highway.
The project will cost a mind-boggling RM 38 billion, as indicated by the proposal from the state government to Putrajaya.
A budget estimate of RM 38 billion is being proposed to be spent over the 13th Malaysia Plan which means the border superhighway and its link to the Pan Borneo Highway may take at least five years to be constructed.
The above proposals were tabled by the Sarawak Premier’s Office to the Economy Ministry as part of the ongoing dialogues organised by the federal ministry to get proposals from all state governments for the compilation of the 13th Malaysia Plan budgeting.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli visited the Sarawak Premier’s Office and had a dialogue with Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg on these matters recently, according to updates from the State Public Information Unit.
It was Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat that had first floated the idea for the Sarawak-Kalimantan superhighway.
On Sept 15, Sarawak PKR chairman Roland Engan said the federal and state governments need to start looking at constructing a superhighway spanning the 1,000 km long Sarawak-Kalimantan mountainous border in central Sarawak.
This highway is needed fast for the interior population along the border to be able to tap the rapid social-economic developments that are happening now across the border in Kalimantan where the new Indonesian capital Nusantara is growing.
Engan said Putrajaya and Kuching should already be setting up ground teams to build this border highway. - November 1, 2024