The government has approved five new projects, worth RM477.5 million, for Sarawak next year.

The Works Ministry in a statement today said that the projects included upgrading of route 8101 Jalan Datuk Mohd Musa, Kota Samarahan, costing RM243 million, and building of an access road to the Kuching International Airport (RM129 million).

The other projects are building of a flyover at the Jalan Medan Jaya-Jalan Tun Hussein Onn intersection in Bintulu (RM100 million), study on new road linking Sarawak and Sabah (RM2 million) and a pedestrian bridge at SMK Bandar Bintulu (RM3.5 million.

Apart from that, the ministry said it would also continue with the implementation of several infra projects, currently in progress in Sarawak, including the Sarawak Pan Borneo Expressway, involving 11 packages at a cost of RM16.48 billion.

Other projects are upgrading of Jalan Nyabau-Bakun (RM637 million), building of lane for over-taking along Pan-Borneo Expressway (RM224 million), upgrading of Jalan Kampung Seberang, Sarikei (RM48 million) and upgrading of Jalan Batu 10-Batu 15, Jalan Kuching-Serian (RM84 million).

The ministry said the government had approved more than RM20 billion worth of projects under the 11th Malaysia Plan for implementation in Sarawak.

So far, 10 of the projects, worth more than RM1 billion, are ready and they included Jambatan Batang Sadong, Jambatan Batang Samarahan, Jambatan Sungai Pusa, Jambatan Sungai Sarawak and upgrading of Jalan Kirudong to the Samalaju Industrial Park.

In a related matter, the ministry welcomed the Sarawak government’s Budget 2019 which allocated RM1.5 billion to finance construction of the Batang Lupar Bridge, Batang Igan Bridge (RM311 million) and Batang Rambongan Bridge (RM142 million).

The three projects had been shelved by the federal government due to financial constraints.

- Bernama