KUCHING: The Sarawak Government through the Public Works Department (JKR) is ready to implement a border road project linking the state with Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the proposal for the border road project was submitted earlier by the state government and is now in the advanced planning stage following approval from the Federal Government.

“This is a plan that we are currently working on. We’ve had discussions with Kuala Lumpur, and it has been approved. So now it is in the planning phase,” he told reporters after officiating the 37th Kuching City Day Commemoration Ceremony at Pangkalan Sapi, here on Friday.

Regarding the location of the proposed border road, the Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development said several areas have been identified based on the existing road network.

“There are a few possible locations as we already have an extensive road network such as the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) 1 and SSLR 2, the Pan Borneo Highway, and other highways.

“We also have several projects along the border area, and we will explore how they can be connected,” he added.

Earlier when tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) in Parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the implementation of several key infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing cross-border connectivity and development.

According to a BERNAMA report, among the initiatives announced are the upgrading of the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complexes in Bukit Kayu Hitam and Rantau Panjang, the CIQ Complexes in Sabah and Sarawak, and the construction of the Rantau Panjang–Sungai Golok Bridge connecting Malaysia and Thailand.

Also announced were proposals to upgrade the Perlis Inland Port as a strategic trade route between Malaysia and Thailand, enhance border road networks connecting Sabah and Sarawak to Kalimantan, and develop the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link connecting Malaysia and Singapore. -UKASnews