The Malaysian Government has approved over $152m (RM513m) in funding to improve the road connecting Sarawak’s city of Miri with Sabah’s capital city Kota Kinabalu.

Work involves upgrading the existing 325km road section passing through Brunei Darussalam to a double carriageway.

Construction would include building the 60km Mengkalap-Merapok, 6km Panduran-Tendungan and 30km Sungai Tujuh-Miri road sections in Sarawak as well as 95km Kota Kinabalu-Beaufort, 60km Beaufort-Sipitang and 2km Sipitang-Sindumin road stretches in Sabah.

The project is expected to improve connectivity between the states of Sabah and Sarawak for a faster, more convenient and less economical journey as well as boost the economy through the development of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy and the Sabah Development Corridor.