Ministry forms committee to monitor infrastructure

KUCHING: The Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development (MIPD) has established the Infrastructure and Asset Monitoring Committee to investigate any issues related to the performance of road maintenance and ferry services in the state.

Its Minister, who is also Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, said that this initiative is crucial as the government does not compromise on a weak maintenance system.

He emphasised that infrastructure maintenance, such as roads, requires a high level of commitment, effective service delivery, and integrity.

“Therefore, this committee will also monitor any challenges and issues faced in road maintenance, including ferry services. They have a time frame of six months to produce their first performance report, meaning I will receive this report by June,” he said.

Uggah speaks during the gala night.

He made these remarks during his speech at the State Road Maintenance Gala Night 2024 at the Sheraton Hotel here on Wednesday evening (Jan 17).

Additionally, he informed that MIPD takes the issue of critical delayed projects in the state seriously and is making concerted efforts to resolve these problems.

“In 2022, we identified 96 critically delayed projects in the state. However, we have successfully reduced the number to only two projects by early this year.

“In line with the effort to achieve zero delayed projects and ensure this does not recur, we have implemented the One-Month Rule, where contractors must commence work on-site within one month after project handover.

“If they fail to comply with this rule, we reserve the right to take action, including contract termination,” he explained.

During the event, Uggah also officiated the launch of the “Public Road Intelligence Management System (PRIMS)” application.

He described PRIMS as a mobile application that will enhance the efficiency of service delivery for the people.

“MIPD, through the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak, strives to incorporate technological advancements into services, and tonight we are launching PRIMS, which can be used to view and obtain road information more clearly,” he said.