The State Reform Party of Sabah (Star Sabah) wants the state government to bar Umno-linked companies UEM-MMC from being appointed the main contractor to build the Sabah section of the Pan-Borneo Highway.

Instead, the contract works should be given to local companies to ensure not only better quality roads, but at the same time to boost Sabah's economy, Star Sabah chief Jeffrey Kitingan said.

The Bingkor assemblyperson was commenting on the disclosure in Parliament by the MP for Kalabakan, Abdul Ghafur Salleh, that UEM-MMC would be the main contractor to build the Sabah section of the Pan-Borneo Highway.

Jeffrey said: "The Sabah government should insist that the Sabah section of the Highway project be built without any Malayan company as the main contractor, to avoid skimming from the contract sum and we ending with low quality roads.   

"It should learn from the Sarawak government that it does not want Umno companies or cronies to be involved in the construction of the Sarawak section of the road," he said.

He said that the Sarawak section of the roads from Lawas to Kuching are to be wider by two feet and of better quality than similar roads in Sabah.

"Not only are the existing Sabah roads narrower, they are full of potholes, even in Kota Kinabalu," Jeffrey pointed out.

‘Sarawak does not allow Umno contractors’

He claimed that the road quality problems in Sabah were mainly the result of the main contracts being awarded to Umno-linked non-Sabahan companies that take large sums and commissions from the contract sums, leaving razor-thin margins for the sub-contractors.

 

When the 'sub-sub-sub-contracts' reach the ultimate work, many of the sub-contractors in Sabah are forced to cut corners due to low sums paid and the end result is sub-standard and poor quality roads, he said.

He said in Sarawak, they do not allow Umno-linked companies to be involved and due to non-skimming at the top, there are better prices for Sarawak contractors.

The Sarawak government has named Lebuhraya Borneo Utara Sdn Bhd to undertake the Sarawak portion of the Pan-Borneo Highway.

Regardless of whether they are from Umno or not, Jeffrey said, the Sabah government should adopt a similar stand to reject any Malayan company being involved in the Sabah section of the highway to ensure Sabah contractors benefit from the construction and to prevent skimming of the contract sums.

 

"At the same time, perhaps, better quality roads will be built in Sabah. Better profits for Sabah contractors will also be a booster to the Sabah economy.

"Will the Sabah government and Sabah Umno stand up to the bosses in Putrajaya for the benefit of Sabah and stop Umno Malaya companies from continuing to rob Sabah and Sabahans, as well said by Ghafur ( above, left ) in Parliament?" Jeffrey asked.