PKR supremo for Sabah and Sarawak, Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan, is perplexed that the uncompleted 145km Kalabakan-Sapulut highway project in Sabah will be quietly resurrected under the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011-15).

He believes that investigations into the controversial highway should be completed first.

The sore point among Sabahans is that the highway, originally a timber gravel road, was delivered to the federal government as a standard gravel road. The contract specified a permanent bituminous road with a sealed pavement.

kitingan project ic 250107 jeffery kitingan The RM563 million project is the subject of two reports lodged with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on July 3 and Aug 11, 2008 by PKR leaders, noted Kitingan ( left ).

Previously, Kota Kinabalu MP Dr Hiew King Cheu, had raised the issue in Parliament, saying RM563 million is "just too much money to build a gravel road".

So far, there has been no word from either the MACC, the PWD (Public Works Department) or the federal government.

The MACC is said to be investigating whether any corrupt practices or abuse of power has been committed by the federal government, through the PWD in the implementation of the highway project.

Kitangan was disappointed that the Sabah PWD director also seemed to contradict himself, saying that the issue had already been explained. The director was referring to various statements in newspapers, Parliament and the auditor-general's 2008 report.

He was commenting on a public statement on the eve of Chinese New Year by the state Public Works Department (PWD) director, John Anthony, who confirmed that work would resume soon on the controversial highway, although a new contractor has yet to be identified.

Kitingan said:" It's disingenuous in the least to claim that the polemics over the project in the newspapers can be considered as some sort of explanation."

The Sabah strongman reiterated that the ‘continuing investigations' should be first wrapped up and the guilty parties identified for appropriate action before work resumed on the highway.

Kitingan claimed the retaining structures and concrete roadside drains were found to be in a deplorable condition at about the same time the contractors demobilised in early 2008. There were also complaints that the workmanship was shoddy and inferior despite the project being an expensive one.

"Had the highway lived up to its promise, it would have shortened the distance to several areas along the east coast, especially Lahad Datu and Semporna," said Kitingan.

"Now, people have to still rely on the old Sandakan-Tawau road. Not being able to use the Kalabakan-Sapulut has caused enormous business losses."

Further RM200 million

Kitingan called on the Sabah PWD to account for the RM563 million paid out so far for the highway as well as justify a further RM200 million injection into the project.

He also wondered if the contractors involved have been blacklisted by the federal government from obtaining similar projects.

Gamuda Bhd was the sub-contractor to Konsortium FA-Irama Duta for the troubled highway.

Lawyer Eleena Raja Azlan Shah, the daughter of the Sultan of Perak, was then listed as having a major stake in Gamuda through her interests in Generasi Setia (M) Sdn Bhd.

Konsortium FA-Irama Duta focuses on building highway and bridges, residential communities, commercial and institutional buildings and heavy civil engineering works, according to an Environmental Impact Assessment done for the project by Sinoh Environmental Sdn Bhd.

According to Kitingan, the State PWD has a public duty to explain why the contractors did not complete the work in full conformity with the approved design and scope of works without any variations.

Apparently, in a ‘design and build' contract like that for Kalabakan-Sapulut, the contractors are not permitted to amend or vary the design and scope of work.

Kitingan said the RM200 million can be put to better use elsewhere in Sabah "instead of throwing good money after bad". He expects the highway to use up more funds by the time it is paved.

State PWD sources stressed that the highway would have to be completed, as it is part of the southern east-west link in the southern ring road. It would complete the ring road around Sabah to add to the Pan-Borneo Highway.

Kalabakan, a parliamentary seat which borders East Kalimantan, has a population of 115,000 spread over three state seats i.e. Sebatik, Tanjung Batu and Merotai, an area long settled mainly by Ibans from Sarawak.

Sapulut is a town along the Sapulut River in the interior of Sabah.