Basic infrastructure key to border posts

BAU: Basic infrastructure and utilities should be prioritised alongside the construction of physical border posts to ensure the facilities can operate as intended.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said border facilities in Serikin and Telok Melano faced logistical challenges and gaps in utility connections, which remained key operational bottlenecks for border development projects in Sarawak.

While construction at sites such as the Serikin Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complex was progressing ahead of schedule, he cautioned that utility connections must keep pace with construction to avoid completed facilities being left unusable.

“One of the primary challenges is our vast border distance and the associated logistics.

“Secondly, basic infrastructure needs to be prioritised, such as access roads, electricity, treated water and telecommunications coverage,” Mustapha told reporters at the Serikin ICQS yesterday.

He said these were critical factors that needed to be addressed to ensure the border posts could operate effectively.

“Even if a building is fully completed on paper, a lack of basic utilities will inevitably cause operational delays and prevent the facility from functioning as intended,” he added.

To address the challenges, Mustapha said federal agencies were working closely with the Sarawak Government to align federal construction timelines with the provision of state utility and road infrastructure.