DPRD Demands Completion of Lenangguar-Lunyuk Road Project This Week

The West Nusa Tenggara Regional House of Representatives (DPRD NTB) has summoned the Head of the Public Works, Spatial Planning, Housing and Settlement Areas (PU Perkim) Department along with the contractor responsible for the delayed Lenangguar-Lunyuk long segment road project. The summons sought clarification and urged the completion of the project, which has exceeded its initial contract period. During a hearing, Commission IV of the DPRD NTB stressed that the remaining infrastructure work must be fully completed within the week so that the public can immediately benefit from it. Head of the NTB PU Perkim Department, Lalu Wijaya Kusuma, explained that the project is nearly finished. From the initial contract worth IDR 8 billion, with a total project value of IDR 19 billion, only 1.6 per cent of the work remains. ‘Only 1.6 per cent remains. We are targeting completion within these seven days,’ Wijaya said following the meeting at the NTB DPRD Building on Wednesday afternoon. Wijaya detailed several severe on-site obstacles that caused the delay, including weather factors, hampered material mobilisation, and equipment breakdowns on the road. He added that the extreme geographical conditions posed a distinct challenge. ‘Getting there is not as easy as one might imagine. There are many landslides and road damages from Sekongkang Atas to Lunyuk. The road surface is actually ready for asphalt paving, but asphalt production was delayed because the contractor had to renegotiate raw material prices,’ he explained. At the same venue, the project contractor, Sabrin, provided a direct explanation of the real situation on the ground. According to him, the conditions in the Lunyuk area present a level of geographical difficulty unlike ordinary regions. ‘Lunyuk is different. While we were trying to complete this work, various landslides occurred, cutting off road access,’ Sabrin stated. Besides natural factors, Sabrin acknowledged technical constraints that forced them to renegotiate the supply of asphalt raw materials and the operation of the asphalt mixing plant (AMP). ‘AMP facilities are very rare in Sumbawa. We had to renegotiate. If the equipment could return to normal immediately, the work would actually be finished straight away,’ he added. Despite the various obstacles, Sabrin affirmed his commitment to completing the remaining project without compromising quality. His company is also prepared to accept the financial consequences of the delay. ‘We will finish without reducing the technical specifications at all. The penalty consequences per day per mil (one-thousandth of the contract value) are still running, although the exact reference point is not yet available,’ Sabrin stressed. Secretary of Commission IV DPRD NTB, Hasbdullah Muis Konco, stated that the legislature is seriously noting the expiration of the first contract period for the IDR 19 billion project. In accordance with applicable regulations, the regional government is still holding the remaining budget of IDR 6.8 billion in the regional treasury. ‘The money is intact in the regional treasury and, under the terms and conditions, cannot be disbursed before the project is 100 per cent complete. The contractor is subject to penalties up to a maximum limit of 200 days. The penalty calculation will be determined precisely later, and then the remainder will be given,’ said the National Mandate Party (PAN) politician. Muis stressed that this case must serve as a valuable lesson for the construction industry in NTB. If the contractor is proven negligent without tolerable reasons, the DPRD urges the relevant department to impose strict sanctions. ‘It must be made a lesson. We could suggest a blacklist. Otherwise, this will keep happening and harm the region. We also demand accountability from the Department Head if this fourth addendum is not resolved immediately, including the work on road shoulders and cliff retainers,’ he declared. Meanwhile, Deputy Chair of Commission IV DPRD NTB, Sudirsah Sujanto, added that the main route of the long segment project is generally complete and can be traversed by vehicles. The remaining work is currently focused on the road’s complementary structures. ‘The work is around 98 per cent complete, so just over 1 per cent remains. The road itself is already passable and functional. What hasn’t been finished are the complementary structures like the road shoulders, cliffs, and cliff retainers,’ Sudirsah explained. Because the project has not yet been handed over and the contractor is still working on site, Commission IV is committed to continuing to oversee the evaluation and physical work until completion through hearing forums. ‘Many people in NTB are asking about this long segment project. We in the DPRD will continue to monitor it seriously and firmly. Our target is that everything must be resolved promptly, with the work completed perfectly in a clear and clean manner, and the budget payment must comply with the established regulations,’ he concluded.