All 35 packages under the first phase of the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah will be running in stages by the end of the first quarter of next year, said Borneo Highway PDP (BHP) Sdn Bhd managing director Shahelmey Yahya.

He said five packages under the highway project were currently under the construction phase, two packages were approved and launched recently while 10 more packages had been submitted to the Finance Ministry and were expected to get the approval by year-end.

“This means that we have 17 packages, and another 18 packages will be offered for tender in stages from January to the first quarter (March) next year. This means that all 35 packages will run by the end of the first quarter of next year," he told reporters after a luncheon with the media in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.

Shahelmey said the first phase of the mega project of the 706km Pan Borneo Highway from Sindumin to Kudat on the west coast and from Ranau to Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau on the east coast would cost RM12.86 billion and would be fully financed by the federal government.

“The seven packages that have been awarded (five are in the construction phase and two have been approved and launched) involve a total cost of RM3.2 billion," he said.

- Bernama