SANDAKAN MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee has criticised the Ministry of Works for failing to provide comprehensive answers on the long-delayed Jalan Jambatan Merah reconstruction project (pic) at Batu 1½, calling for greater transparency over its costs, delays and expected completion date.
Vivian said the Ministry’s written reply to her parliamentary question did not adequately address key issues, including the project allocation, payments made to the contractor, reasons for the delay and additional funding required under Budget 2027.
She also sought a firm completion timeline and confirmation of when the road would be fully reopened to motorists.
“The project has been delayed for far too long, and the people are still waiting for clear explanations. However, the Ministry of Works has failed to provide complete answers to the questions I raised in Parliament,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.
She described the response as inadequate, stressing that Sandakan residents needed concrete information and action rather than repeated explanations about procedural matters.
Vivian said the Ministry had informed her that the original contract was terminated and the project was undergoing a retendering process, but several important questions remained unanswered.
“The people of Sandakan do not need repeated explanations for the delays. They want clear progress updates, a definite completion date and tangible action,” she said.
The project, which has been classified as a sick project, has become a source of frustration for road users awaiting the completion of the reconstruction works, she added.
She said the prolonged delay had affected motorists’ daily journeys and raised concerns over project management and implementation.
Vivian stressed that retendering alone was insufficient to address public concerns, calling on the Ministry to disclose the problems encountered, outline remedial measures and provide a clear work schedule once a new contractor was appointed.
According to the Ministry’s written reply, the project involves replacing the bridge at KM295.56 along the Tamparuli-Sandakan Road (FS022/295/56).
The original contract was terminated on Oct 1, 2025, while the latest status indicated that a fresh tender process was underway, with the appointment of a completion contractor expected to be finalised in December 2026.
In the meantime, the Sabah Public Works Department (JKR) is implementing a Traffic Management Plan (TMP) and carrying out routine maintenance to ensure road-user safety until a new contractor is appointed.
Vivian said the Ministry must learn from the previous delays and strengthen its monitoring of the incoming contractor to ensure work proceeded according to schedule once the project resumed.
She warned that effective oversight was necessary to prevent similar problems from recurring.
She also pledged to raise the issue again during the next parliamentary debate, including the Ministry’s failure to provide comprehensive answers and the prolonged delay in completing the project.
Vivian urged the Ministry to take the matter seriously and provide Sandakan residents with the explanations and assurances they deserved.