MIRI: The implementation of the first phase of the Sabah-Sarawak Link Road (SSLR) project has now reached 35 per cent completion.

Sarawak Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development, Datuk Ir Aidel Lariwoo said the construction work of this project is ahead by 5 per cent compared to the initial planning of 30.32 percent.

According to him, the project is expected to be fully completed by November 2026. 

He said this when met by reporters during a visit to Sungai Tujuh Kuala Baram on Monday.

The construction of SSLR aims to provide a road network that connects Sarawak and Sabah without going through Brunei Darussalam, and it was approved in phases by the Federal Government in 2021 whereby it is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2026.

Meanwhile, Datuk Ir Aidel said once this project is completed, it will expand the federal road network to the hinterland and improve the socio-economic status of the population.

As for Phase 2 of the SSLR project, he informed that the Letter of Acceptance (SST) for this project was submitted by the Minister of Works to the main contractor (Maltimur Aktif Unggul JV) on March 26, 2024 in Kuala Lumpur and the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak has been appointed as the Project Director.

According to him, preliminary works on the site have begun and the project is expected to be completed within five years.

The overall SSLR project will involve constructing new alignments and upgrading of existing roads spanning 322 kilometres (km) that will connect Lawas to Limbang and then to Mulu town without going through Brunei Darussalam involving a Federal government allocation totalling RM7.2 billion, he explained.

Commenting on the Trans Borneo Highway Project, Datuk Ir Aidel said that this project is still in the planning stage and is divided into three packages involving a cost of RM2.3 billion.

"Three packages will involve the routes from Kuala Baram to the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex Sungai Tujuh, Miri with a distance of 4.9 km, from ICQS Tedungan to ICQS Pandaruan, Limbang spanning 54.6 km, and from Lawas town to ICQS Merapok, Lawas with a distance of 33.7 km,” he said.

The Trans Borneo Highway is a project to upgrade the existing road from Miri to Limbang and Lawas and then to Sabah via Brunei Darussalam along a 93.25 km stretch. -UKASnews