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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Labuan-Sabah bridge vital: Yong

LABUAN - A bridge link between Labuan and Sabah is important and necessary, said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) President Datuk Yong Teck Lee.

He said here: "The Yong key issue here is development and this should not be blurred by other perspectives.

He said that under the circumstances the government should make a commitment to undertake the project.

"I do not expect the project to start immediately but set a date for it to start in 2016 or later and set a deadline. The longer the project is delayed, the higher the cost it will be and at the moment we do not see any commitment either from the Federal or State governments," said Yong.

Yong who served in the government before, including as Chief Minister from 1996 to 1998, said that all along the State Government had favoured the project as it would create economic benefits to both Labuan and Sabah, especially those in southwest of the State and the interior towns of Beaufort, Menumbok, Sipitang and Weston.

The bridge would facilitate convenient flow of people and this would help boost trade and tourism.

"It will bring down the cost of goods and those in the Interior towns may be encouraged to use Labuan airport for travel as this was nearer to them.

"But I am uncertain now whether there is a change of thinking about the bridge in Sabah now since there is no official response to Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor's comment that the failure of the bridge was due to resistance from Sabah," added Yong.

Yong said he was also surprised that after Tenku Adnan's comment, there had been no official response from the State Government "and I don't know whether this was out of respect or fear of Federal leaders. Fear should not be a factor considering without Sabah and Sarawak support, the BN government could not have been formed."

The only known reaction to Tengku Adnan's disclosure was from Deputy Chief Minister cum Infrastructure Development Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan who said while on a working visit here last year that the bridge would have negative effect on Sabah, without elaborating.

Yong said that his reading was that the State Government wanted the bridge built through Federal funding and not through a private sector initiative as this involved terms and conditions.

In the case of the second Penang link spanning over 23.4 km, it was built through Federal funds though the financial was as high as RM4.5 billion. There are several other federal-funded infrastructure projects in the Peninsula.

Former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh, backed by China investors, had proposed a mega RM60 billion Development Plan for Labuan, including an offer to build the Labuan-Sabah bridge. The offer was made through Labuan Corporation about two years ago. Under the terms there would be no need for cash payment to the investors but the investors given right to reclaim 8,500 acres of land and use the land. The acreage requested is on both since of Labuan and Sabah coastline.

On this, Yong said he was open-minded about the proposals and off-hand he supported them. He said whether the project so massive could be done or not is another matter.

"What is needed to be done is to study the pros and cons of the proposals and have adjustments made."

Yong said there were many issues involved, including environmental impact, costs "but these are naturally arising issues from a project so huge, it was best that the proposal be studied from all angles."

The government indicated its plans to building the bridge in its Labuan Development Plan (1997-2015). The link was estimated to cost RM550 million then and the project was to be undertaken by the private sector and completed by 2012.

The Federal Territories Minister in 2007 allocated RM5 million to University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and two other universities to undertake technical and feasibility studies on the bridge project. The recommendation was that the bridge was essential and be built the sooner the better or it may cost double later. The given estimated cost was RM3 billion then.

However, the government did not pursue the matter and wanted the bridge to be a private sector initiative.

In the 13th general elections, PKR used the bridge as a main issue in campaigns and it candidate Tan Sri Ibrahim Menudin hauled in more than 6,000 votes, an opposition record, though losing the elections.

PKR had promised that if it formed the government, it would implement the bridge within 3-4 years and at a lower cost and this appealed to many voters.

Many wanted the bridge because the link would enable them to escape the stress of living in Labuan caused by inflation and high prices of houses. They include those in middle-income group who would prefer residing in cheaper homes in the mainland towns and drive over here for work.

2 comments:

  1. I think in another half a century, Labuan will still a small fishing village.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The multi billions dollars project is too big for Malaysia Govt to handle. Otherwise the project will turn out to be sour.

    ReplyDelete