Truth about RM12m project laid bare

2010/02/09

By Dennis Wong

LUBOK ANTU: Is this another case of misappropriation of federal funds in the state? Despite media reports quoting officials as saying that the RM11.7 million Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex project here is going "according to schedule", checks prove otherwise.

The site for the CIQ complex, which was supposed to be completed by Feb 5, is still bare. Not a single pillar is up.

Construction of the complex began on Aug 6, 2008, for the purpose of controlling border traffic from here to the Indonesian town of Badau.

According to locals, the border is a haven for stolen vehicles from nearby districts.

"We have seen many vehicles bearing Sarawak number plates ending up on the other side," said a local who wished to be known only as Giri.

"Outsiders who think they can cross the border and enjoy themselves in Badau always come back with stories about being detained on their way back here. Even we, the locals, don't dare to go the other side if we do not know anyone there."

A check at the construction site recently showed several workers just loafing around. These workers also claimed that they had just started working on the site.

"All we know is that this is our first day on this site. And we are under the third contractor working on this project," said a worker who wished to remain anonymous.

The Home Ministry is aware of the delay and wants the state Public Works Department to make the project its priority this year.

Ministry deputy chief secretary, Md Nor Hashim, said the project had now been extended and was expected to be completed by May 26.

"We have directed the state Public Works Department to look into this and there will be no more delays," Md Nor said, without elaborating.

Efforts to contact the state Public Works Department had been unsuccessful as no one was available for comment.

This is not the first federal project in Sarawak that has failed to meet the deadline.

One other such project is the Sarawak Prison at Km23 Jalan Puncak Borneo. Construction began in May 1997 at a projected cost of RM165 million and was scheduled for completion in August 2000.

However, the contractor failed to complete it, and the project was almost abandoned.

In September 2005, the project was awarded to another contractor who was given an additional sum of RM54.7 million.

The prison complex turned out smaller than planned and was only completed 12 years after the project kicked off. Built on a 42ha site, it was originally designed to accommodate 1,500 inmates. But its capacity was reduced to 500 male prisoners and 150 female prisoners.

Under the 10th Malaysia Plan, the Home Ministry is boosting border security along the 2,110km Sara-wak-Kalimantan border, which includes the construction of another 10 border posts.

This RM31 million project aims to enhance the existing 15 posts along the border -- of which nine are manned by the army and six by the General Operations Force.