Btg Rambungan Bridge 73pct complete, still on track to finish by end-2026 despite slight delay

Aidel (fifth left) and others during the inspection at the Batang Rambungan Bridge project site on July 7, 2026.

By Emily Ruran

KUCHING, July 7: The Batang Rambungan Bridge project has reached another construction stage with the successful installation of its first cable stay segment.

According to Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development (MPID) Datuk Aidel Lariwoo, the project has achieved 73.27 per cent physical progress against the scheduled 74.3 per cent.

He acknowledged the project was slightly behind schedule but expressed confidence the contractor could accelerate the pace of construction.

“The project is slightly behind schedule, about one per cent behind schedule, but I believe with the contractor’s commitment, it can speed up the progress.

“The contractor is trying it’s very best to complete the project, and at least by the end of this year, we expect to see it completed.

“There are eight cable stay segments on the bridge, and the first has been successfully installed,” he told reporters after visiting the project site today.

Aidel said the remaining cable stay installation works would be carried out carefully to ensure they met all technical specifications and quality requirements.

He noted that the Batang Rambungan Bridge has a unique cable stay design, with its cables arranged differently from the vertical layout used on other cable stayed bridges.

“So, we are constantly ensuring the contractor accelerates the progress, particularly the cable stay installation using the form traveller.

“We hope everything proceeds smoothly without any technical issues, as every stage must meet the required technical specifications and quality standards,” he added.

The RM82,003,570 project involves the construction of a 560m-long, two-lane, single-carriageway cable stayed bridge across Batang Rambungan, featuring two 51.4m-high inclined H-shaped pylons and a 320m main span.

It also includes approximately 815m of new and upgraded approach roads, including a 255m section on the Kuching side.

Aidel said the Batang Rambungan Bridge is the first major bridge along the 896km Coastal Road, linking Simpang Sampadi in Lundu to Bakam in Miri.

He said the bridge is a key component of the first stretch of the Coastal Road, making its completion highly anticipated.

He said three other major bridge projects are expected to be completed this year, namely the Batang Sejingkat Bridge around October, Batang Paloh Bridge in November, and Batang Saribas 2 Bridge by the end of the year. — DayakDaily