CEMENT PLANT IN TONGOD TO ADDRESS SHORTAGE, BOOST LOCAL ECONOMY - MASIUNG

KOTA KINABALU, April 27 (Bernama) -- The construction of a cement plant in Kampung Kayawoi, near Tongod, is expected to address the shortage faced by developers in Sabah once it is operational, said Borneo Cement Sabah chairman Datuk Masiung Banah.

Masiung said there have been situations where developers and contractors had to queue and place orders up to two weeks in advance to secure cement supplies.

The Kuamut assemblyman said the plant is expected to produce at least 5,000 tonnes of cement per day, significantly reducing the state's reliance on imports.

"I expect the price of cement could be reduced by about RM1 to RM2 per bag," he told reporters after the Sabah media Aidilfitri gathering here today.

Masiung said the completion of the cement plant is crucial to drive infrastructure development and boost the local economy, with the creation of an estimated 1,000 jobs for the surrounding community.

He noted that so far, the project has received Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval, and site clearing is in progress.

He said the Sabah Energy Commission has agreed to supply the plant 40 percent of the electricity needed from Nabawan, while the investor has agreed to build a 26-kilometre access road to the site.

Meanwhile, Masiung refuted opposition claims that the plant’s construction was being used as an excuse to harvest timber, stressing that the site is located within a limestone area, not a forested zone.

He further denied allegations that the project’s investors had pulled out. 

The cement plant project involves an investment of RM1.2 billion and spans 202.3 hectares.

-- BERNAMA