SARAWAK today approved the resumption of work on 946 projects in green zones under the conditional movement-control order (CMCO).

The projects came to a halt when the MCO was imposed on March 18 to curb Covid-19, which has claimed 17 lives in the state.

Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas said more than 500 of the projects, with a total value of RM22.1 billion, are either state- or federal-funded initiatives, Projek Rakyat or have alternative funding.

Uggah, who also chairs the state Disaster Management Committee (DMC), said 42 of the 526 projects with a ceiling cost of RM16.6 billion are water and electricity projects under the state Utility Ministry, Housing and Local Government Ministry, Public Works Department, Drainage and Irrigation Department, and Regional Corridor Development Authority.

Another 420 state-funded rural transformation projects, with a total contract value of RM167.2 million, have been given the go-ahead to resume work, he said.

Fifty-nine are infrastructure development projects under the state Rural Water Supply Department, Local Government and Housing Ministry, Public Works Department, Drainage and Irrigation Department, Land Custody and Development Authority, and power firm Sarawak Energy Bhd.

Uggah said the 946 projects were identified by the green-zone project task force headed by Sarawak Secretary Jaul Samion.

These projects are located in areas with no Covid-19 infections, and do not involve the movement of workers, building materials and machinery to and from places with coronavirus cases.

Uggah said some projects got the nod as they are 90% completed. There are also those requiring urgent maintenance work.

Despite the approval, he said, physical work cannot begin immediately, as paperwork must be sorted out first.

Contractors are required to submit a health and safety plan to the state DMC, as per the Sarawak Protection of Public Health 1999 (Measure on the Carrying Out of Activities in Infected Local Areas) Order 2020. – May 6, 2020.