KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 8): A new contractor will be appointed by Oct 16 to complete the long-delayed Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) security hub project, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.
He said the Home Ministry is currently working with the Sabah government and the Public Works Department (JKR) to resolve outstanding issues related to the project on Mabul Island, Semporna.
“A meeting of the JKR Rehabilitation Board will be held on Oct 16, during which a decision on the appointment of a new contractor to complete the project is expected to be made,” he said when winding up the debate on the Auditor-General’s Report in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.
The latest Auditor-General’s Report revealed that the project — known as the Forward Operating Base project — remains incomplete nearly 10 years after approval.
Approved under the 11th Malaysia Plan with an allocation of RM52.81 million, the project includes a jetty, a relocation building, residential and administrative blocks, a dining hall, a surau, and an ammunition store. It now requires an additional RM28.7 million to be completed.
Shamsul said the delay was mainly due to the late construction of the jetty, with actual progress at zero per cent compared to the scheduled 11 per cent.
“This was caused by delays in conducting the marine land survey for gazettement purposes but the process was completed on June 22, 2023,” he said.
He added that the original contractor was terminated in September 2023 after an audit found no construction activity at the site, despite several reminder letters issued by the consulting supervision team.
According to him, project monitoring has since been strengthened, with ministry and state government representatives involved in every site meeting to ensure close supervision of project quality and progress.
Meanwhile, Shamsul said RM229 million is allocated annually for the repair and maintenance of 35 vessels under the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
“MMEA currently operates 237 maritime assets across the Straits of Malacca, the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea to ensure effective maritime enforcement operations,” he said.
He added that under the MMEA Strategic Planning Plan 2020, the agency aims to have 116 patrol vessels, 96 medium-sized vessels, 20 large ships and 228 boats under 20 metres in length to meet operational needs.
As of Sept 30, 35 of MMEA’s vessels are over 30 years old, and the agency is implementing a refurbishment and phased asset replacement programme.