KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — The government has agreed in principle to implement the remaining Sabah Pan-Borneo Highway construction projects through the private sector.

Works Deputy Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the move was aimed at expediting the implementation of the project.

She was responding to Wong Sze Phin (DAP-Kota Kinabalu) at the Dewan Rakyat here on Monday.

Rosnah said preliminary negotiations were being held with interested parties to realise a deal.

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She said the project could be completed in a shorter period than if it were done the conventional way through allocation from the government’s five-year plan. 

Bernama had earlier reported inaccurately that the government would call for a tender on the project. The error was inadvertent.

Rosnah also said in reply to Wong, that the government approved four new Sabah Pan-Borneo road projects which were being implemented conventionally, since 2013, at a cost of RM647 million.

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Two of the projects are the upgrading of Jalan Dungun to Simpang Papar Spur (Package 1, involving 13.7 km costing around RM233 million) and Jalan Petagas to Lok Kawi (Package 1A and 1B, involving 6 km costing around RM136 million).

Two others involve upgrading of the Tawau-Semporna road from the junction at Tawau Airport to Semporna Town (Phase 1, covering 15 km costing RM170 million), and Jalan Segama-Lahad Datu (Phase 1, covering 5.6 km costing RM108 million). — Bernama