MIRI: The upgrading project and addition of arrival and departure lanes, including the construction of immigration and customs counters at the Sungai Tujuh Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex, has now recorded physical progress of 88 per cent.
Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin, said the project – fully funded by the Sarawak Government – is aimed at reducing traffic congestion at the Sungai Tujuh border, especially during festive seasons and peak hours.
According to him, the project began on March 10, 2025, and was initially scheduled for completion on December 9, 2025.
However, it has undergone three Extensions of Time (EOT), amounting to a total of 84 days.
“Among the factors contributing to the approval of the EOT were site clearance and handover issues, delays in coordination among agencies on site, amendments to the original plans, as well as additional works not included in the original project scope to meet the current operational requirements of enforcement agencies at the CIQ,” he said in a statement.
Following the approved extension, the new project completion date has been set for March 3, 2026.
He explained that the current progress difference of about three per cent remains within the tolerance range and is expected to be addressed in the near future.
In a related development, a meeting was held with the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) and the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) to review the possibility of implementing a phased opening (soft opening) of completed facilities, subject to the final decision of the relevant agencies.
Testing and handover processes will be carried out involving eight individual Customs counters, two shared Immigration-Customs counters, and one Immigration counter for the lorry lane.
If all tests run smoothly and systems function properly, operations will commence immediately.
At the initial stage, Customs will operate five individual counters and two shared counters, while Immigration will operate one counter for the lorry lane.
The remaining three Immigration counters and four Customs counters are expected to be handed over to the relevant agencies by the end of February 2026.
Lee stressed that the Sarawak Government remains committed to ensuring the project is fully completed according to the new schedule to improve operational efficiency, streamline traffic flow at the Sungai Tujuh border, and enhance comfort for users crossing the border.
