Travelling by road from Miri to Limbang is quite an easy task. But first of all, one must have a valid passport in order to enter Brunei through Sungai Tujuh’s Customs, and Immigration Complex (CIQ) and exit at Pandaruan CIQ.
That’s what one has to undergo these days and many years before this – entering another country first to reach the northern region of Sarawak from Miri. But in time to come (2030), one doesn’t need to face this hassle anymore.
These days, as you enter Brunei, you’ll need another three hours or so to drive to Limbang, without taking rests in between.
Our Kembara team arrived at Limbang slightly at 3 pm. After taking a short break, we drove to Ng Madamit, about a 45 minutes’ drive from Limbang town.
From Ng Medamit, it took us another five minutes to enter the Sarawak–Sabah Link Road (SSLR), a federal-funded highway project costing some RM7.15 billion.
Construction started on June 24, 2024 and is expected to be completed over 1,825 days on June 24 2029.
Phase 2 of this highway (SSLR2) runs through Miri, Limbang, Lawas, and Ba’kelalan, covering 335 km in total, across highway terrain in some parts.
As Limbang is geographically sandwiched between Brunei’s two halves, making travel historically dependent on crossing Brunei’s borders, the opening of the SSLR will help residents and businesspeople travel between Sarawak and Sabah without immigration checks or passport requirements.
It will also reduce travel time and costs, while improving logistics for trade, tourism and agriculture.
Once completed, the road will link Miri to Limbang, where one does not have to pass through Brunei and allow for a smoother travel from the southern part of the state to northern part and vice versa.
According to the Public Works Department’s statistics, work on the project is currently at 7.79 per cent, with a slight delay of 5.09 per cent. Phase 1 of the highway covers a distance of 75.725km, linking Lawas to Long Lopeng for RM1.02 billion. Work on this phase started in August 2021 and is expected to be completed by November this year. Currently, the project is 70.97 per cent complete and is slightly behind schedule by 9.27 per cent.
Seamless drives in Sarawak by 2030
By 2030, people in Sarawak will enjoy a seamless drive from Telok Melano in the south to Lawas in the north. Two trunk roads — the Pan Borneo Highway and the Coastal Road — will anchor this connectivity, reshaping mobility and commerce.
For Limbang and Lawas, the SSLR provides the crucial final link, integrating the northern administrative centres with the rest of Sarawak and Sabah. Together, these projects, costing over RM8 billion, promise lasting benefits for communities across the northern region.
Sarawak’s Vision 2030, guided by the Post-COVID Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, envisions a developed, high-income state built on human capital, industrialisation, modernisation, and connectivity.
It charts the state’s path toward developed status and a high-income economy. At its core, PCDS 2030 is a sensible and dynamic framework — designed to advance Sarawak holistically through human capital development, industrialisation, modernisation, and enhanced connectivity.
Since assuming office on January 13, 2017, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Openg has spearheaded major initiatives, particularly in infrastructure, with roads and bridges forming the backbone of Sarawak’s transformation.
To realise the vision of a developed Sarawak, effective and efficient governance is essential. Under the Premier’s proven leadership, Sarawak has already demonstrated steady progress. With his continued stewardship, there is strong confidence that Vision 2030 will be achieved.
The next five years will be decisive, and under his proven leadership, Sarawak appears well-positioned to achieve its aspirations.
— UKAS/WE