LIMBANG: The Northern Coastal Highway (NCH) project, worth RM6.8 billion, will complement other major infrastructure projects in northern Sarawak such as the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) and the Trans Borneo Highway.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the project is a game changer that will significantly improve road connectivity and shorten travel time from Miri through Brunei and Limbang to Lawas and Sabah.
“The project will enhance mobility and open up more opportunities in trade, tourism, agriculture, logistics, and small and medium industries,” he said when speaking at the launch of the NCH project here today, officiated by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Awang Tengah, who is also the Northern Region Development Agency’s (NRDA) Chairman, said that the state government is also planning a border security road from Ba’ Kelalan to Bario, which will further strengthen connectivity with Kalimantan, Indonesia.
“These projects will transform northern Sarawak into a gateway for cross-border cooperation between Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei and Kalimantan, paving the way for new economic opportunities,” he said.
Awang Tengah said the NCH will also serve as a corridor for other infrastructure development, including fibre optic cables, power lines, and water pipelines, making it easier to install utilities in the future.
The project, he said, is divided into five sections and will involve more than 3,000 workers and use advanced construction methods such as elevated viaducts over one kilometre long to address challenging terrain.
He added that Limbang and Lawas will soon be connected to the state power grid, ending their dependence on generator sets.
Awang Tengah said the highway will not only improve accessibility but also boost cross-border trade and tourism with Brunei, noting that Sarawak’s trade with Brunei reached RM3.4 billion last year out of the state’s total trade volume of RM198.7 billion.
“With improved road links and CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine) facilities, we can expand northern Sarawak’s role as a regional tourism and investment hub.
“We have the potential to further develop the green energy sector, alongside improvements in electricity supply, water access, and telecommunication systems. These enhanced facilities will open up vast opportunities to harness the region’s economic potential.
“In fact, this area can be positioned as an economic gateway linking Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei, with prospects for establishing special economic zones, joint border developments, and expanding cross-border tourism,” he said.
“The project will enhance mobility and open up more opportunities in trade, tourism, agriculture, logistics, and small and medium industries,” he said when speaking at the launch of the NCH project here today, officiated by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Awang Tengah, who is also the Northern Region Development Agency’s (NRDA) Chairman, said that the state government is also planning a border security road from Ba’ Kelalan to Bario, which will further strengthen connectivity with Kalimantan, Indonesia.
“These projects will transform northern Sarawak into a gateway for cross-border cooperation between Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei and Kalimantan, paving the way for new economic opportunities,” he said.
Awang Tengah said the NCH will also serve as a corridor for other infrastructure development, including fibre optic cables, power lines, and water pipelines, making it easier to install utilities in the future.
The project, he said, is divided into five sections and will involve more than 3,000 workers and use advanced construction methods such as elevated viaducts over one kilometre long to address challenging terrain.
He added that Limbang and Lawas will soon be connected to the state power grid, ending their dependence on generator sets.
Awang Tengah said the highway will not only improve accessibility but also boost cross-border trade and tourism with Brunei, noting that Sarawak’s trade with Brunei reached RM3.4 billion last year out of the state’s total trade volume of RM198.7 billion.
“With improved road links and CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine) facilities, we can expand northern Sarawak’s role as a regional tourism and investment hub.
“We have the potential to further develop the green energy sector, alongside improvements in electricity supply, water access, and telecommunication systems. These enhanced facilities will open up vast opportunities to harness the region’s economic potential.
“In fact, this area can be positioned as an economic gateway linking Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei, with prospects for establishing special economic zones, joint border developments, and expanding cross-border tourism,” he said.