KOTA KINABALU: Contractors handling three critical work packages of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project along the Putatan, Penampang, Inanam, Sepanggar and Tuaran stretches have been instructed to complete the remaining construction works by the end of this year.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said completing the three packages was crucial to improving traffic flow around Kota Kinabalu and reducing congestion on existing routes.
He said Work Packages 6 (WP06), 7 (WP07) and 8 (WP08) were nearing completion but could not yet be fully opened as several sections were still under construction.
"I have personally asked for construction works along these stretches to be completed by the end of this year. They must be completed by year-end. Once the Pan Borneo Highway is completed, traffic flow can be improved.
"This means vehicles that do not need to stop in Kota Kinabalu, particularly those heading directly to Beaufort and Papar, can use this route.
"So far, I have been informed that construction is 95 per cent complete, with only a few sections remaining. We will monitor the progress and ensure it is completed by the end of this year," he said after launching the Madani Kita @ Sepanggar programme in Manggatal, near today.
Mustapha, who is also Sepanggar member of parliament, was responding to questions about measures to address delays in the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project, particularly along the stretches passing through his constituency.
The three packages comprise WP06 from Putatan to Inanam, WP07 from Inanam to Sepanggar, and WP08 from Sepanggar to Berungis Roundabout.
They are key components of the Kota Kinabalu Outer Ring Road, which is designed to divert some traffic away from the city centre.
Mustapha acknowledged that all three packages had been delayed and were considered critical because they involved urban routes that frequently experience congestion.
"We hope this stretch of the Pan Borneo Highway will be completed by the end of the year so that congestion on existing routes can be eased," he said.
Commenting on traffic congestion in Sepanggar, particularly before motorists enter the Pan Borneo Highway stretch near Kampung Tebobon, Mustapha said the problem stemmed from the concentration of traffic on existing roads, which were also used by heavy vehicles.
He said this had caused several sections of the road to deteriorate frequently, especially during rainy weather. The damage continued to recur despite repair works because of the weak road structure and constant use.
"The road damage is repaired, but the problem now is that the repairs do not last because the road is used daily.
"We have asked the Public Works Department (PWD) and the contractors to ensure the road is safe for users," he said.
Phase 1 of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project comprises 35 work packages spanning 706km.
The Auditor-General's Report 2/2026 stated that only four of the 35 packages, or 11.4 per cent, had been fully completed as at March 31, while the remaining 31 were still under implementation.
However, the figures refer to the number of packages fully completed, rather than the overall physical progress of the project.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister and state Works and Utilities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam had earlier said physical progress under Phase 1A had reached 89.54 per cent as at Sept 25, compared with the scheduled progress of 96.23 per cent.
In a separate development, Mustapha said the Madani Kita @ Sepanggar programme was organised by the Sabah Federal Youth and Sports Department, with young people making up about 80 per cent of its participants.
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