MIRI: Works Minister Baru Bian vows to do his best in expediting the works on the second phase of the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) project, in view of the bad condition of the road to Ba Kelalan.

He said this yesterday when met after conducting inspection on the project site of the Pujut Link component of the Work Package Contract (WPC) 11 under the Pan Borneo Highway mega development.

“I am very concerned because a lot of people will be travelling back home (for Christmas) and I know that in my ‘kawasan’ (area) Ba Kelalan, there are some photos showing the bad road,” he said.

According to Baru, the Ba Kelalan section would be under the second phase, slated for completion in 2030.

The second package, according to him, covers Pa Berunut to Long Lama (160km), and the spur roads stretching 175km.

“The Long Luping-Ba Kelalan road was built under the ‘Jiwa Murni’ project – you all know that there are few ‘Jiwa Murni’ roads in Sarawak.

“I just want to make it clear that the (Jiwa Murni) roads are not under my purview – in fact, they are supposed, upon completion, to be surrendered to the state government,” he said, pointing out that this meant the Long Luping-Ba Kelalan road was not under his ministry’s jurisdiction.

Adding on, he was made to understand that the Sarawak government had provided allocations to a contractor to carry out the repair and maintenance works on these roads.

Baru also noted that the year-end rainy season had made it difficult to carry out repair works on the Ba Kelalan road.

“That’s the reason why I’m excited about the SSLR project. I really hope that we would be able to expedite the second phase of SSLR.”

The SSLR project is touted as ‘the last frontier’, meant to connect Sarawak and Sabah without the need to pass Brunei.

The first package, covering Lawas to Long Sukang, then to Long Luping and Pa Berunut, was launched in Lawas on Nov 5 this year.

Works are expected to commence in October next year, and they should reach completion in 2024.