Uggah(third left) and contractors inspecting ongoing works at the bridge project site.
KUCHING (Sept 6): The One-month rule devised by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development is working well, said its minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
The One-month rule is part of the ministry’s strategy to classify sick projects so that the State Public Works Department (JKR) can terminate the contractor of the sick project, said Uggah, who is Deputy Premier.
“Once the contractor takes over the site, he must, within 30 days, show some progress of works. If not, the JKR can terminate the contractor. It is easier to terminate when work is not yet done,” he told reporters during his visit to the Sejingkat bridge project site here yesterday.
Uggah said his ministry has to do stringent in monitoring new and current projects for the people’s sake.
He cited the five roundabout projects located along the Kuching-Kota Samarahan Expressway as glaring examples of sick projects that had taken years due to delay.
He, however, expressed gladness that the roundabout projects are now in the hands of rescue contractors.
He had also pointed out previously that some projects were delayed for six months or more simply because the main contractors were looking for sub-contractors here and there.
On his visit, Uggah said one of the three packages for the Sejingkat bridge project is experiencing slight delay due to some geological problem.
The RM365-million bridge project across the Sarawak River is scheduled to be completed on June 25, 2025.
The contractor has been tasked to expedite their works, he said.
The other two packages involved the upgrading of Jalan Kampung Tanjong Bako and the 7km long road linking the village and Samarahan.
The village road upgrading is scheduled to be completed on April 9, 2024, while the 7km road in February 2026.
