Kuching: Abang Jo should know better the reason why the Batang Lupar bridge was put on hold in 2018. It was exactly the same reason why the LRT 3 (Shah Alam line) project was recently alleged to have been “cancelled” by Lim Guan Eng.
Back in 2018, after the change of federal government in May, the cabinet led by Tun Mahathir decided all mega projects that were less than 10% work in progress were to be put on hold pending renegotiation of the prices because it was the rampant practice of the previous Barisan Nasional government for awarding mega projects at unreasonably high prices.
The mandate of voters in the 2018 nationwide election was, inter alia, to review these contracts and help properly administer the country’s finances with transparency and accountability.
An example of such renegotiation of awarded contracts was the LRT 3 project, which saw the reduction of project costs from RM31.65 billion to RM21.93 billion, saving the country a whopping RM9.72 billion. Another 2 mega projects were following:
- The Mass Rapid Transit line 2 (MRT 2), with an original projected construction cost of RM39.35 billion. After renegotiation, the final construction costs were revised to RM30.53 billion, resulting in a saving of RM8.82 billion.
- The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), with an original projected construction cost of RM65.5 billion. After renegotiation, the final construction costs were revised to RM44 billion, resulting in a saving of RM21.5 billion.
Therefore, it was not the case that Sarawak was singled out and discriminated against by Lim Guan Eng, the then Finance Minister, but the unreasonably high prices of the awards were the target. LRT 3, MRT 2, and ECRL projects are examples, and the Batang Lupar bridge could be another.
As for the Batang Lupar bridge project, Najib promised RM1 billion back in 2016. However, there was no record of any approved allocation therefore in the annual budgets by Parliament.
What actually transpired was that Najib merely announced RM1 billion for the project at the end of 2016, with construction scheduled to begin in 2018. There was, nevertheless, no such allocation in the 2017 Budget (passed at the end of 2016) nor the 2018 Budget (passed at the end of 2017). Construction did not commence in 2018, even though the change in Federal Government occurred only in May, 2018.
When the project was put on hold, the State Government decided to proceed with its own State fund in March, 2021.
It is to be noted that by March 2021, GPS had already been part of the federal government for about ONE YEAR after the Sheraton Move in March 2020. If there were any prior approved allocation during Najib’s regime, why did the GPS, as part of the Federal Government since March 2020, NOT revived the project with federal funds?
Notwithstanding, on a second note, when the project commenced in 2021 with State funds and was completed in 2026, the actual construction costs amounted to only RM848.75 million, which was 15% lower than what was initially announced by Najib back in 2016 (5 years ago).
That RM151 million savings compared to the initial announcement of RM1 billion speaks volumes of the unreasonably high pricing in the initial Najib’s announcement and the lack of accountability thereof.
Instead of continuously harping on Lim Guan Eng putting the project on hold, it would be better for the State Government to explain to the people why an estimated construction cost of RM1 billion in 2016 could turn out to be a much lower sum of RM848.75 million in 2026, notwithstanding that the general costs of construction have increased tremendously over this period of time.
The questions to ask:
- Was Najib’s announcement of RM1 billion in 2016 a highly inflated price?
- Why did the GPS State Government not seek a renegotiation for the project in 2018?
- Why did the GPS State Government not seek the reinstatement of the project when it became the federal government since March 2020 when the said project only commenced 1 year later in March 2021?
Chong Chieng Jen
Stampin MP
13 July 2026
