ULU PADAS DAM PROJECT ON TRACK FOR 2030 COMPLETION, FAILURE CLAIMS INACCURATE - SABAH CM

KOTA KINABALU, April 14 (Bernama) -- The allegation that Kerjaya Kagum Hitech JV Sdn Bhd had failed to implement the Ulu Padas Dam Project in Tenom is inaccurate, as the project is undergoing through a lengthy process and is expected to be completed in 2030, the Sabah State Assembly was told today.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the project, awarded on July 13, 2015, has experienced several stages, including changes in company shareholdings, rigorous technical assessments, delays at both the federal and state government levels and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said Kagum Hitech JV is not the main contractor, but merely holds a 15 per cent stake in the project developer, Upper Padas Power Sdn Bhd, while Gamuda Berhad holds 45 per cent and the remaining 40 per cent is held by Sabah Energy Corporation Sdn Bhd, a government-linked company wholly owned by the state government.

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“Gamuda Berhad has shown strong commitment to the success of the project through the Ulu Padas Dam Project groundbreaking ceremony launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Tenom on Dec 7, 2023,” he said when replying to a question from Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Lamag).

Bung Moktar had wanted to know the justification for the government allowing Kerjaya Kagum Hitech JV Sdn Bhd to remain involved in the Tenom Dam project despite allegations of failure to implement it since 2015.

Hajiji said that as the majority shareholder, Gamuda Berhad has been appointed the lead developer and is responsible for heading the entire implementation of the project including design, construction and technical execution management.

“Gamuda Berhad not only has a strong track record in implementing large-scale infrastructure projects, but also brings an advantage in terms of financial capability with existing funding of RM4.65 billion obtained through local financial institutions,” he said.

He said the Ulu Padas Dam and other power generation projects will ensure that the generation reserve margin capacity remains above 25 per cent for the Sabah Grid, which connects the electricity supply system to all districts in the state as well as Labuan.

He added that once the dam is fully operational, water supply issues in Sabah can be addressed with the implementation of the Ulu Padas Water Supply Scheme (SBAUP), which has the potential to supply up to 6,000 million litres of water per day and meet water needs for up to 100 years.

-- BERNAMA