Kalabakan-Sepulut Road Expected To Be Ready In Two Years' Time

TAWAU, Jan 21 (Bernama) -- Construction of the 145km road connecting Kalabakan in Tawau to Sepulut in Keningau, costing RM135 million is expected to be completed in two years' time, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said.

Pairin, who is also State Minister of Infrastructure Development, said currently the resurfacing work on the 35km road from Kalabakan, and from Sepulut also 35km long, was going smoothly and expected to be completed this year.

"The works being carried out from both ends will expedite the road construction process," he told reporters after a briefing session on the Public Works Department projects in Tawau, here Friday.

Besides the briefing session, Pairin also made several spot checks on the ground to find out about the people's problems particularly related to the flood situation in the Pasir Putih area.

On the damage to at least 10 hilly stretches which caused several parts of the road from Kampung Iban to Kalabakan to collapse, Pairin said the PWD had appointed four companies to repair the damaged slopes.

Pairin also said a road would be built connecting Log Pond with Pasir Putih under the 10th Malaysia Plan, and this project was expected to commence in the year 2013 at the latest.

He said with the existence of the road, the people in Pasir Putih would have an alternative route to leave the area concerned in the event of flooding.

Pairin said the government was still carrying out a survey to determine the suitable location to construct a RM200 million dam so as to overcome the problem of floods which often occurred in the Pasir Putih area.