KUALA LUMPUR: Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi will focus on the completion of the Pan Borneo Highway to ensure continued development of rural facilities in Sabah and Sarawak.

Nanta this is among his priorities after helming the Works Ministry besides ensuring problematic projects nationwide are resolved as soon as possible.

"I will be briefed by ministry officials and after that, I hope to generally understand what is the ministry's core business, and in two to three weeks will obtain further details to deal with problems faced.

"Main focus will be on the Pan Borneo Highway in Sarawak and also in Sabah where I was made to understand works have not been satisfactory," he said after clocking in at the Works Ministry headquarters here today to officially begin his duties.

The construction of the Pan Borneo Highway is a high-impact development project that will benefit the people of Sabah and Sarawak in terms of better road infrastructure.


The project's first phase was supposed to have been completed in 2016, however, in Sabah, the project is only 60 per cent ready while in Sarawak, over 85 per cent.

Earlier, during a handover of duties ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is the former Works Minister, was confident his successor will be able to ensure that all infrastructure projects in Sabah and Sarawak run smoothly.

Fadillah, who is also Plantation and Commodities Minister, expressed his gratitude to the staff of the Works Ministry, whom he said had been committed and dedicated employees during his tenure.

-- BERNAMA