PAC launches probe into Sabah Pan Borneo Highway after audit reveals delays despite RM10.5b spent

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has initiated an investigation into the management and execution of Phase 1 of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project due to serious delays and financial discrepancies highlighted in the Auditor-General's Report.

Despite substantial expenditures of RM10.547 billion from the allocated RM11.153 billion, only a fraction of the project has been completed, with numerous work packages classified as delayed or problematic.

The investigation follows concerns raised in Parliament and will involve consultations with relevant ministries and agencies, with potential referrals to enforcement agencies if misconduct is found.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 — The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has launched an investigation into the management, financial governance and physical implementation of Phase 1 of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project following revelations in the Auditor-General’s Report (LKAN) Series 2/2026.

PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said that from 2016 to March 31, 2026, RM10.547 billion, or 94.6 per cent of the RM11.153 billion allocation, had been spent, although the project’s physical progress was far behind schedule.

She disclosed that the 706-kilometre (km) project, comprising 35 work packages, was expected to be fully completed by the end of 2021, but only four work packages, or 11.4 per cent, had been completed.

“While the remaining 31 work packages, worth RM16.319 billion, are still being implemented, the project should have been completed five years ago.

“Of these, nine work packages are classified as sick projects, while 13 are behind schedule. Only nine work packages are ahead of schedule,” she told a press conference at the Parliament building today.

Mas Ermieyati said that, due to weaknesses in planning, the project’s completion date had been extended to 2030, while the overall contract cost had increased from RM17.910 billion to RM18.394 billion.

She said the Auditor-General’s Report also revealed that 57 Variation Orders amounting to RM513.99 million had been approved beyond the authorised limits without the approval of the Secretary-General of the Treasury or the Works Ministry’s Procurement Board.

In addition, the projected current cost for the 15 Phase 1A work packages had surged by RM987 million to RM11.323 billion, compared with the original ceiling cost of RM10.336 billion, while interim payments totalling RM163.64 million had been made to contractors and consultants without formal contractual agreements.

“Government advance funds amounting to RM41.37 million for utility works have yet to be recovered from utility companies, despite the six-month deadline following the issuance of the Certificate of Partial Completion (CPC) having passed,” she said.

The audit report also revealed that 19 work packages had commenced before the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was approved, while 77,299 monitoring data files had been lost due to the ineffective use of the Project Information System.

However, Mas Ermieyati said the PAC took note of a statement by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I and Works and Utilities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, who said that the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway Phase 1 packages were being actively constructed.

“The unfinished Sabah Pan Borneo Highway Phase 1 packages are now being actively constructed, with some sections recording physical progress of between 90 and 93 per cent. Eight packages covering 179km have been proposed to be opened in stages before the end of this year,” she said.

She said the investigation was also initiated following an official request from the Kota Belud Member of Parliament (MP) and concerns raised by the Sipitang, Beaufort and Balik Pulau MPs during the debate on the Auditor-General’s Report in the Dewan Rakyat on October 7.

Mas Ermieyati said the PAC would summon witnesses from the Works Ministry, the Public Works Department (JKR), including JKR Sabah, and relevant agencies for the investigation proceedings.

“If the PAC proceedings uncover any indications of misconduct, corruption or abuse of power, the committee will not hesitate to refer its findings to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) for further investigation,” she said. — Bernama

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由于审计长报告中指出的沙巴泛婆罗洲高速公路项目第一阶段存在严重延误和财务差异，公共账目委员会（PAC）已对该项目第一阶段的管理和执行情况展开调查。

尽管已从111.53亿令吉的拨款中支出105.47亿令吉，但该项目仅完成了一小部分，许多工作包被列为延误或存在问题。

此次调查源于议会提出的关切，并将涉及与相关部委和机构的磋商，如果发现不当行为，可能会将案件移交执法机构。

吉隆坡，10 月 19 日——公共账目委员会 (PAC) 已对沙巴泛婆罗洲高速公路项目第一阶段的管理、财务治理和实际实施情况展开调查，此前审计长报告 (LKAN) 系列 2/2026 中披露了相关信息。

公共账目委员会主席拿督马斯·埃尔米亚蒂·萨姆苏丁表示，从2016年到2026年3月31日，111.53亿令吉的拨款中已支出105.47亿令吉，即94.6%，尽管该项目的实际进展远远落后于计划。

她透露，这项全长 706 公里的项目由 35 个工作包组成，原计划于 2021 年底全面完工，但目前仅完成了 4 个工作包，即 11.4%。

“虽然剩余的 31 个工作包（价值 163.19 亿令吉）仍在实施中，但该项目本应在五年前就已完成。

“其中，9个工作包被列为问题项目，13个工作包进度落后，只有9个工作包进度超前，”她今天在议会大厦举行的新闻发布会上说。

马斯·埃尔米耶提表示，由于规划方面的缺陷，该项目的竣工日期已延长至 2030 年，而总合同成本已从 179.1 亿令吉增加到 183.94 亿令吉。

她表示，审计长报告还披露，有 57 项变更令，总额达 5.1399 亿令吉，在未经财政部秘书长或工程部采购委员会批准的情况下，超出授权限额获得批准。

此外，15个第一阶段A工作包的预计当前成本已飙升9.87亿令吉，达到113.23亿令吉，而最初的最高成本为103.36亿令吉，同时，在没有正式合同协议的情况下，已向承包商和顾问支付了总计1.6364亿令吉的中期款项。

“尽管在颁发部分竣工证书（CPC）后的六个月期限已过，但政府预付的用于公用设施工程的4137万令吉资金仍未从公用设施公司收回，”她说。

审计报告还显示，在环境影响评估 (EIA) 报告获得批准之前，已有 19 个工作包开始实施；由于项目信息系统使用不当，丢失了 77,299 个监测数据文件。

然而，马斯·埃尔米亚蒂表示，公共账目委员会注意到沙巴州第一副首席部长兼工程及公用事业部长拿督斯里·约阿希姆·贡萨拉姆博士的声明，该声明称沙巴泛婆罗洲高速公路第一阶段工程正在积极建设中。

她表示：“沙巴泛婆罗洲高速公路一期工程尚未完工的部分正在积极建设中，部分路段的实际施工进度已达90%至93%。计划在今年年底前分阶段开通8个标段，总长179公里。”

她说，此次调查也是应哥打毛律国会议员的正式要求而启动的，同时，西必丹、保佛和浮罗山背国会议员在10月7日下议院就审计长报告进行辩论时也提出了关切。

马斯·埃尔米耶提表示，公共账目委员会将传唤工程部、公共工程局（包括沙巴公共工程局）和相关机构的证人参与调查程序。

她表示：“如果公共账目委员会的调查发现任何不当行为、腐败或滥用职权的迹象，委员会将毫不犹豫地把调查结果提交给马来西亚反贪污委员会（MACC）和马来西亚皇家警察（PDRM）进行进一步调查。”——马新社

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