BIM Saves Government RM157 Million On Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak

PUTRAJAYA, Sept  15 (Bernama) -- The use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology in the Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak project has saved the government RM157 million, said Ministry of Works (KKR) Secretary-General Datuk Seri Azman Ibrahim.

He said the use of BIM since 2016 had also enabled more than 3,000 errors in design drawings to be identified and resolved, preventing potential project delays of up to 10 years.

“At KKR, we are striving to transform the national construction industry through the use of BIM. While BIM is not an innovation and has been around for some time, we are working towards achieving a standard at the national level that we can be proud of.

“I will cite the example of the Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak project in 2016. Through the use of BIM, we successfully resolved design clashes and saved the government RM157 million at the time,” he said.

He told reporters this after attending the launch of Malaysia BIM Day 2026: Putrajaya Digital Built, officiated by Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, here today.

Azman said BIM had also helped shorten the plan approval process from about 14 days to 48 hours, an achievement accomplished without the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

“However, we plan to integrate AI in the future to further expedite the process,” he said.

Meanwhile, Azman said KKR would expand BIM Laboratory facilities nationwide to assist contractors and consultants in adopting the technology, while reducing the cost burden associated with acquiring BIM software.

“This year, we secured RM83.3 million to establish BIM Laboratories nationwide, including in Sabah and Sarawak.

“This means we will have a total of 16 BIM Centres of Excellence,” he said.

He said the initiative was part of KKR’s efforts to accelerate technology adoption and strengthen Malaysia’s competitiveness in urban planning and the construction industry.

BIM refers to the process of creating and managing information-rich three-dimensional (3D) models throughout a project’s lifecycle. The digital models enable architects, engineers and construction professionals to plan, design, construct and manage buildings and infrastructure more efficiently.

-- BERNAMA