The Works Ministry will ensure that all abandoned projects in the country were given priority to be revived although the number was not large and involved just one per cent.

Works Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor said the abandoned one per cent involved 1,673 projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

"In the plan the Public Works Department had planned for 3,737 projects.

"Factors that led to the projects to be abandoned were contractor weaknesses, problems of building materials, techincal scope and weather," Shaziman told reporters after visting the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at Bukit Bunga in Jeli today.

Beside the CIQ complex, the construction of the second Sultan Yahya bridge at Kota Bharu was to be given priority to be completed.

Shaziman said as a result the ministry was careful and only gave contracts to contractors who were capable to do the job.

Commenting on the project to link Bukit Bunga and Ban Buketa in Southern Thailand via the Friendship Bridge, Shaziman said he was satisfied that the complex would be ready by June this year.

"The abandoned porject was 75 per cent ready by the previous contractor and was supposed to be completed by December 2008.

"Already the ministry has given extension on matters of roof specification and weather.

"The second contractor has provided guarantee to complete the project by June and the additional cost had not been determined yet," he said.

The cost of the CIQ complex was actually RM37.2million and to be built beginning June 2007.

In December 2009, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejajiva had officiated the opening of the Friendship Bridge.

- Bernama