KOTA KINABALU, Sept 5 — Sabah’s building industry recorded nearly 50 per cent fewer projects in the first half of the year compared to 2015.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said that Sabah has had some 108 construction projects as of June this year, compared to last year’s total of 396 projects.

"Out of the 108, 54 per cent are infrastructure projects, 21 per cent are housing three per cent are social facilities and 22 per cent are non-residential projects like commercial and industrial buildings,” he said.

However, the total projects are of similar value at RM1.8 billion this year compared to RM4.9 billion for the whole of 2015.

Last year, the state saw 396 projects, of which 40 per cent were infrastructure, 31 per cent were housing projects, 4 per cent were social facilities and 25 per cent non-residential.

Musa, who was attending the graduation ceremony of the Malaysian Construction Academy students, said that the state will see a boost from the massive 1,236km Pan Borneo Highway that was launched in April this year.

"This highway will be contributing the most to the upgrading of Sabah’s socio-economic status and open up job opportunities to many Sabahans,” he said in his speech.

Federal Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who also attended the ceremony, said that progress for the project was going smoothly and they were in the process of appointing consultants for the highway, due to be completed in 2021.

"We have a total of 35 packages for the project and are in the middle of land acquisition and compensations among other engagements that needs to be done prior to commencing. But we have settled the major problems and there are only small issues that needs to be ironed out now.

"We are on schedule and will be appointing contractors by early 2017. We expect all the contractors to begin construction in phases by 2018,” he said.