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Bridge at Sejingkat expected to be completed by Feb next year, says S'wak deputy minister
The cable-stayed bridge over Sarawak River at Sejingkat is currently at 52.45 per cent completion. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (June 11): The 1.28km cable-stayed bridge over the Sarawak River at Sejingkat is expected to be completed by February next year, said State Deputy Infrastructure and Port Development Minister, Datuk Aidel Lariwoo.
He said the RM365.7 million project is currently slightly behind schedule at 52.45 per cent completion.
'The project was supposed to be at 59.75 per cent completion as per the schedule but there's a slight delay due to the technical issues especially in regard to the form traveller.
'The contractor is trying very hard to solve this issue and in fact, they are already committing to deliver two sets of form traveller all the way from China to continue with the rest of the works,' he told a press conference held in conjunction with his working visit to the site of the bridge here today.
In view of this, he said that the scheduled project completion has been revised to February next year.
'The contractor is committed to complete it before June next year where by then the bridge can be used by the public,' he added.
He said the ministry would continue to monitor the project along with other projects under their purview.
'We do have some projects that are behind schedule, which is why we activate our monitoring team and each month, we will hold meetings with the various agencies such as the Public Works Department (JKR), Economic Planning Unit (EPU), and the Land and Survey Department to resolve issues faced by the delayed projects.
'We are closely monitoring every single project in Sarawak and have given the contractors a tight schedule.
'This has enabled us to reduce the number of sick projects to less than five when compared to during the pre-pandemic, there were more than 100 sick projects,' he said.
On a related matter, Aidel said the Second Trunk Road project, of which the bridge at Sejingkat is part of, is progressing very well.
'For this section, there are three packages altogether namely this bridge over Sarawak River at Sejingkat; the Tanjung Bako to Sejingkat (road project) which has already been completed; and the other adjoining section to Batang Samarahan which is still in progress and scheduled to be completed later next year.
'So, by September next year, the people will be able to use this Second Trunk Road where they can travel from Kuching to Samarahan to Batang Samarahan or from Batang Sejingkat to Batang Samarahan with no traffic congestion,' he said.
For this year, he said the state is targeting to complete the Sungai Lingga Bridge next month.
'There is also the Batang Lupar Bridge in Sebuyau which is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year,' he added. aidel lariwoo bridge lead sejingkat
