PETALING JAYA: High-impact infrastructure projects will spur the nation’s economy as it recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, said Senior Works Minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

       “The government will continue developing high-impact infrastructure projects worth RM3.5bil such as the Pan-Borneo Highway and the Central Spine Road that will facilitate economic recovery in the country,” said Fadillah in a statement Friday (Oct 29).

       In Budget 2022, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz announced that RM3.5bil was allocated for infrastructure projects, among them the Pan-Borneo Highway and Central Spine Road.

       Zafrul also said the government will continue implementing small and medium projects worth RM2.9bil that will target Class G1 to G4 contractors across the country.

       Commenting further, Fadillah said the small and medium projects mentioned by Zafrul involved the maintenance of roads, overhaul of obsolete infrastructure and equipment of public universities, polytechnics, and community colleges as well as other projects involving social amenities in rural areas.

       The Pan-Borneo Highway is a road network on Borneo island connecting Sabah and Sarawak with Brunei and Kalimantan in Indonesia.

       The Central Spine Road project is a 306.8km road project with wildlife protection in mind, located across Kelantan, Pahang and Negri Sembilan, and it is scheduled to be fully completed in 2026.

       Meanwhile, Fadillah said as the nation prepares to live with Covid-19, the construction sector plays a vital role in Budget 2022.

       He said several initiatives were prepared by the government to ensure continuity in the construction sector, which includes small-scale projects worth RM200mil for bumiputra contractors.

       At the same time, Fadillah said Budget 2022 showed the government’s commitment to ensuring continuity in the Pan-Borneo Highway Project in Sabah and Sarawak.

       He also said the federal government had allocated RM746mil to upgrade dilapidated schools, with 112 in Sabah and 165 in Sarawak.

       “The Works Ministry welcomes Budget 2022 that is able to uplift prosperity in Keluarga Malaysia,” he added.

       Budget 2022 has a total allocation of RM332.1bil, the largest ever for the country.