KOTA KINABALU, July 20 — The issue of utility relocation has been identified as one of the main factors contributing to the delay in the implementation of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway Project, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
Joachim who is also the state Minister of Works and Utilities told the Sabah State Legislative Assembly today that the relocation of utilities not only involves the relocation of electricity poles and assets, but also includes telecommunications cables and various other utility assets along the construction line.
He said the relocation of utilities is a critical component because construction work cannot be carried out in areas that still have existing utilities due to safety factors, the risk of supply disruption and possible damage to utility infrastructure.
“Therefore, the utilities need to be relocated first before construction work can continue,” he said in response to an oral question by Datuk Chin Shu Ying (Appointed Assemblyman) who asked the main reason for the delay in the completion of the Pan Borneo Highway project and the steps taken to overcome the problem.
Joachim said the utility relocation process not only involves the transfer of assets but also includes the verification of the location of the utility, the preparation of designs, technical approvals, the preparation of utility corridors, coordination with the utility owner and the implementation of the relocation works.
In addition, the process requires close coordination between all parties to ensure that the relocation can be carried out safely and orderly without affecting the continuity of services to users.
“Other factors such as land acquisition, geotechnical conditions at certain locations, the resolution of technical issues at the site and the contractor's implementation performance also affect the progress of the project,” he said.
Joachim said the government had strengthened the coordination mechanism through the Pan Borneo Highway Project Implementation Steering Committee and regular coordination meetings at the site level.
He said critical issues that required policy decisions were also brought to the highest management level such as the federal Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance together with the state Ministry of Public Works and Utilities to speed up the resolution process and reduce the impact on the implementation of the project.
“As an improvement measure for the implementation of future infrastructure projects, the government is also placing emphasis on the implementation of preliminary works, particularly the preparation of detailed designs, land acquisition and utility relocation, before construction projects commence.
“This approach allows implementation issues to be identified and resolved earlier, thus reducing the risk of delays during the construction phase,” he said. — Bernama
