Work on RM140.79 mln federal building in Petra Jaya ahead of schedule, to house 25 agencies

KUCHING (March 18): Construction of the Bangunan Gunasama Persekutuan (Federal General-Use Building) in Petra Jaya is more than four months ahead of schedule, said Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

He said this reflected strong implementation and monitoring for the RM140.79 million project, which has achieved 17.03 per cent physical progress to date, placing it 134 days ahead of its original timeline, with completion scheduled for Nov 28, 2028.

“This is a positive development and we hope the project will continue to remain ahead of schedule so it can be completed as early as possible,” he told reporters during a site visit.

The project, which commenced on Nov 29, 2024, is being implemented on a design-and-build basis by Eastbourne Corporation Berhad, with the Public Works Department (JKR) Malaysia’s Special Project Team 2 acting as the implementing agency.

Ahmad said the complex is designed to house 25 federal agencies currently operating from rented premises, including shophouses across Kuching, as well as those occupying state government buildings.

“The purpose of this project is to centralise these agencies under one roof so that the public can easily access services in a single location,” he said.

The development, located on a 10-acre site, will include a main office building with operational and support spaces, as well as shared facilities such as meeting rooms, interview rooms, childcare and preschool centres, commercial areas, a surau with a capacity of 100 congregants, and a multipurpose hall that can accommodate up to 750 people.

Supporting infrastructure will also be provided, including a guardhouse, refuse chamber, electrical and mechanical substations, parking areas, roads, and covered pedestrian walkways.

On construction methods, Ahmad said Industrialised Building System (IBS) accounts for at least 70 per cent of the project components, including Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC), precast beams, and slabs.

He explained that although Building Information Modelling (BIM) was not initially required, the contractor took the initiative to implement it up to Level of Detail 400 at no additional cost.

“BIM helps reduce overall costs, minimise design errors, and avoids clashes during the planning stage,” he said.

Ahmad noted that construction efficiency is increasingly driven by systems rather than labour alone, citing the Modular Precast System (MPS) as an emerging method that allows building components to be prefabricated and assembled on-site.

“This system has been used in projects such as additional classrooms in high-density schools, which can be completed within three to four months,” he said, adding that the approach is currently under study and trial for wider adoption.

He said the Ministry of Works will continue to closely monitor the project through regular progress reports to prevent delays and ensure it is completed according to specifications, timeline, and cost.

“We are confident that with the commitment of JKR and the contractor, this project can be implemented smoothly and deliver benefits to the people, particularly in Kuching and Sarawak,” he added.