TAWAU: The RM640 million Cinta Mata dam project in Gudang Empat is set to get off the ground following approval of the allocation two weeks ago by the Economic Planning Unit.
Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the proposed construction was approved two years ago but deferred due to project scope change.
"The implementation was delayed because the state government had made changes to the scope and widened the project so that it is not just for water supply but also flood mitigation," he told reporters today.
Earlier, he paid a visit to the Sin Onn market here.
He said the tender for the project undertaken through a loan agreement between the state government and federal government, would be called soon.
"This is a good sign; the government is committed to expediting this necessity," he said.
Meanwhile, Ongkili said the ministry was in the process of enhancing the standard of electricity supply in Sabah through a federal four-year grant of RM2.3 billion.
"The grant is used to improve generation capacity, tranmission and distribution through the construction, upgrading of substations, and cable to aerial bundle cable," he said.
He said the electricity supply in Tawau had greatly improved judging from the reduction in the System Annualised Interruption Duration Index (Saidi) in the past two years. - BERNAMA