LIMBANG (Sarawak), Dec 8 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam today officially opened a bridge at the Malaysia-Brunei Darussalam common border here to facilitate travel between the two countries.
Najib and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah signed a plaque and cut a ribbon in a symbolic gesture to open the Friendship Bridge that goes across the Pandaruan River and connects the Limbang Division in Sarawak to the Temburong District in Brunei Darussalam.
The opening of the bridge is part of the programme during today's day-long visit of Najib to Brunei Darussalam for the 17th Annual Leaders Consultation with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof and Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi were also present at the event.
The bridge, which is 189 metres long and 14 metres wide, was built at a cost of RM20.8 million.
The project was handled through negotiations of the Joint Project Team (JPT) and Bridge Management Committee (BMC), with the JPT meeting eight times and the BMC, thrice, in Kuala Lumpur and Bandar Seri Begawan.
The launch of the project at the site was held on September 13, 2011, and construction work began in May last year. The bridge was completed last month.
Today’s opening ceremony, which reflected the close relations between Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, was held on the bridge.
Fadillah, in his message in a souvenir book on the event, said the bridge would facilitate travel between Limbang and Temburong and strengthen relations between Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam. — Bernama
