Deputy economic affairs minister Arthur Joseph Kurup said the project had originally been approved by the economic planning unit (EPU) under the second rolling plan of the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP) in 2017 but was delayed.

“The project involves the upgrading of the roads in Sook in Keningau to Linayukan in Tongod and will also cross into Pensiangan and Kinabatangan.

“The project will now be continued under the 12MP and will take 36 months to complete,” he said in a statement today.

Kurup said the 40km road network, including the construction of seven new bridges, would benefit 19 villages located between Sook and Tongod. Once completed, the road will cut travelling time between the two districts.

He said the new infrastructure would encourage the development of the local agriculture and tourism sectors, with the economic impact to be particularly felt by residents in Keningau, Sook and Tongod.

“Besides this, the upgrading work to turn the roads into sealed stretches will also lower the routine maintenance cost borne by the government.

“This shows the federal government is making an effort to prepare better roads in order to connect interior areas in Sabah so that balanced development can be enjoyed by the people,” Kurup added.