INTERVIEW | As the newly appointed works minister, Baru Bian has set his sights on the Pan Borneo Highway, one of the mega projects close to the hearts of East Malaysians. He said the project will be 'looked into' to reduce its costs.

The project spans 1,060km, linking Sarawak and Sabah, and will cost RM16 billion. To date, 193km has been completed while phase one of the project, 791km in length, is expected to be completed in 2021.

"The Pan Borneo Highway (photo below, map at the bottom) is a very specific project which is, in fact, an ongoing project and I understand that this project was under the Prime Minister's Department and the Finance Ministry as well. Certain packages have already been awarded to various people.

"We know that the value of this project is huge and if there are ways and means to relook the whole thing and see if we can cut cost. Not to cancel the whole project, that is not what we want to do," Baru told Malaysiakini in an interview.

The Selangau MP said that although some contracts from the mega-project have been awarded, the ministry will review them. He acknowledged that there are possibilities to reduce the cost of the project but legal aspects of the contracts would have to be looked into.

"Generally, I feel that projects must be based on needs. Is there a need to have these projects? That's the crucial questions to us. We have to look if it is feasible or not.

"There are a lot of projects that we want to do but all these questions must be asked: whether they are necessary in the context of our economic situation. We cannot just stall all these because we need infrastructure to go on as a developing country. These are catalysts for development overall," Baru said.

Priorities for five states in Malaysia

With the conclusion of the 11th Malaysia Plan by 2020, Baru hopes to bring new plans targeting the five poorest states in Malaysia, namely, Sabah, Sarawak, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu.

The five-year Malaysia Plan will be a means to re-focus on infrastructure developments aimed at closing the gap with well-developed states.

“From our perspective and with my experience, we all know that Sabah and Sarawak have been left very far behind in terms of infrastructure development over the years.

“Although I am very aware of the fact that after the Malaysia Plan is concluded by 2020, there will be a new plan that would perhaps to bring in (targeted development) in Sabah, Sarawak and also in Perlis, Terengganu and Kelantan.

“We will look into all this as a whole.”

Cleaning up the house?

When the first batch of ministers was announced in May, there was action taken by the new administration to reform the government structure and re-organise the personnel.

Apart from appointing new key senior government officials, ministers were seen to be changing old policies and uncovering issues stemming from the previous administration.

Baru pointed out that the Works Ministry is one of the very important ministries in the country, and has its share of complicated challenges.

“I was told it is a very complicated ministry, with a lot of ongoing projects. I think there is a place for that, and all the perceptions we, from the outside, have had of the ministry all these years.

“I would like to go in there with an open mind and to listen to what they (senior officials) are going to tell me,” Baru said.

Baru did not want to prejudge things or predispose things that have not been well received.

He preferred to enter the ministry with an open mind and be ready to improve them if they had not been drawn up properly.

'Judge us on our performance'

Issues of representation from Sarawak became the talk of the town when only one cabinet minister and one deputy minister were appointed from the state.

Sarawak Harapan chairperson Chong Chieng Jen, who is also the state DAP chairperson, has been appointed as the deputy domestic trade and consumer affairs minister.

“I just want to stress on this. Whatever it is, both of us are representing the state. Some critics may say that we are not being taken seriously in this case.

“Notwithstanding the fact that there are only two persons from Sarawak, at the end of the day, it is the quality of work and the seriousness of what we are supposed to do (that counts),” stressed Baru.

The two Sarawak representatives have to be on the top of all things to perform in the cabinet.

Baru pointed out that the result would be crucial, not only for Sarawak but for the whole nation.

“At the end of the day, I think that will be a yardstick for all of us.

“From the political point of view as to whether we are performing, we have to discharge our responsibilities to the people.”

Related report:

In 'New Malaysia', PKR seeks a 'New Sarawak'