27 Pan Borneo highway construction packages in designing process

KOTA KINABALU: Twenty-seven Pan Borneo highway construction packages are in the designing process, while issuing of tender to the selected contractors is expected to be before the year-end.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the highway project consisted of 35 packages, with five of the packages under construction now and these five were awarded to local contractors, as promised.
The five packages involve Jalan Sindumin-Kampung Melalia, Jalan Papar-Donggongon, Balung- Semporna, Sandakan Mile 32-Lot M and Lahad Datu Bypass.
"Three other packages are in the procurement process involving the construction of Jalan Beaufort- Bongawan, Putatan-Inanam and Inanam-Sepanggar," he said in reply to a question from Datuk Au Kam Wah (BN-Elopura) on the project status, at the state assembly sitting, here today.
Pairin said the Pan Borneo Highway project costing RM12.86 billion was expected to be ready by December 2021.
Meanwhile, to a question from Datuk Ahmad Bujang (BN-Sindumin), Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin said the Sabah Agriculture Department would request for an allocation from the federal government to implement kelulut (stingless bee) honey projects in the state.
Yahya, who is also state Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, said this was to encourage the growth of this industry as it had great potential for expansion.
He said the cooperative, Korporasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD), organised courses and training on rearing kelulut for participants of its contract farming project in Sikuati, Kudat, where the KPD-owned Borneo Honey Bee Centre, a honey-processing factory, is located.
"Anyone or any group planning to start a kelulut bee-keeping project can contact KPD to obtain training in the field," he added. — Bernama