KUALA LUMPUR: A government backbencher wants to know if an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was ever conducted prior to the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway.
Wilfred Madius Tangau (PH-Tuaran) said Sabahans were unhappy as they have experienced repeated flooding and property damage following the construction of the highway.
“Was an EIA done for this project? Was it just one EIA for the entire 2,239km stretch or was it broken down according to the different packages?
“If yes, how many EIAs were done?” he asked the works ministry when debating Budget 2023 at the committee stage.
Tangau also asked the ministry whether the project was proceeding to completion according to schedule.
At the tabling of Budget 2023 last month, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government will expedite the completion of the Pan Borneo Highway as well as the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road.
In January, Bernama reported that phase one of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project had achieved 71% progress as of December last year, and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.
Separately, Tangau asked what measures were being taken to ensure that the roads constructed in Sabah are durable.
“If anybody here wants to become an astronaut, don’t worry. It’s now made easy for you, you just need to drive in Sabah. The experience is the same as being on the moon, with potholes left, right and centre,” he said.
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