GRAVY TRAIN FOR GRAVEL ROAD IN SABAH? - Nizar tag

Those in Sabah’s construction circles have reacted with surprise to Works Minister Mohd Zin Mohamed’s statement that a RM536 million 'highway' to Tawau had all along been envisaged as a gravel road.

MCPX

However, his pledge at the same time that the highway will now be sealed has provided some relief to long-suffering road users and struck a hopeful chord among construction companies in the state.

Their constant refrain that the big jobs go to peninsula-based companies with the right political connections have so far fallen on deaf ears.

The 145km Jalan Sapulut-Kalabakan was completed on May 15 last year by Gamuda Bhd as a sub-contractor. The Perak sultan’s daughter has a stake in the company.

The project then became the subject of two reports lodged last year with the Anti-Corruption Agency, since replaced by the Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission.

Mohd Zin said in a statement yesterday that heavy logging activities had been going on along the entire length of the highway, “hence the decision to settle for a gravel road (at the time)”.

“It was a joint decision by the Ministry of Works, the Economic Planning Unit and the Sabah Public Works Department,” he said.

“If the asphaltic coating work on the road had continued (under the original contract), the heavy logging activities would have definitely damaged the new road and increased the reconstruction and repair works by another RM100 million.”

Jeff Ooi has a post about the Penang state government that fined MMC-Gamuda RM7.4 million for non-compliance of procedures. The listed company duly paid the fine and moved on. Read Penang, Gamuda & Peral Royal Family

The Perak sultan’s daughter, Raja Datuk Seri Eleena Raja Azlan Shah, has a major stake in Gamuda Bhd through her interest in Generasi Setia (M) Sdn Bhd. Click here for the corporate information of Generasi Setia. Clicke here for a report in The Star Online.