SPAOH: Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas is very happy with the development of once sick project of the Sungai Paku bridge.

Its first contractor had failed to achieve much causing its construction to be behind schedule.

Then, a rescue contractor was appointed who started works on May 11, 2023 and injected a new breath of life into it.

Now, its implementation is hale and healthy registering a current progress rate of 15.08 per cent over its schedule of 14.93 per cent.

“I am visiting this RM36 million project to check on its latest progress as it was once a sick project.

” I am very happy that from the briefing given by the rescue contractor and the Betong JKR, its construction is going on very well,” he said.

Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said this during his visit to the Sungai Paku construction site on Sunday which is near the town and is in his Bukit Saban state constituency.

“I hope the contractor can continue on with the progress. The weather has been fine lately and I hope it will continue to be so.”

Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, who is also the Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, noted that most of the project’s critical construction components are done with its major building parts assembled in Kuching and transported here for installation.

“Although the contractor have some manpower issue, I hope this will be resolved.

“This bridge is scheduled to be completed by August 10, 2025.

“But I have asked the Road Works Department (JKR) to discuss with the contractor for it to be completed much earlier,” he said.

Also present during the visit were Betong Member of Parliament Dr Richard Rapu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development Datu Chew Chee Yau, JKR Deputy Director Dr Cassidy Morris and Betong JKR engineer Jason Ng. – UKASnews.