Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has commended the plan of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa to revisit the proposed Labuan-Sabah bridge.
Datuk Peter Mak, the head of the Labuan PBS division, stated that the construction of the bridge is not just a luxury but a fundamental infrastructure and link between the duty-free Federal Territory island and mainland Sabah’s Menumbok.
Mak emphasized that the minister’s perspective is practical as Labuan requires the bridge to enhance its economic and development needs.
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He expressed, “Labuan PBS is delighted and fully embraces the minister’s move, and she even highlighted infrastructure as a facilitator to accelerate Labuan’s development.”
Mak also pointed out that Dr Zaliha was not just considering the bridge as a mode of transportation but also as a means to supply water from Sabah by aligning utility delivery pipes along its length.
He added, “The minister’s readiness to present the proposed bridge project to the Federal Government for reconsideration indicates a government that continues to listen to the people.
“The bridge would undoubtedly bring about many socio-economic benefits and returns to the people on both sides of the channel,” he said.
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Last month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on a visit to the island, stated that the bridge was not a priority as the government would focus on resolving basic infrastructure issues rather than major development projects that could be deferred.
The decades-old call for the bridge, estimated to cost RM6bil, has been on the back burner since the early 2000s with several feasibility studies being conducted.
Dr Zaliha was reported to have expressed that the construction of the bridge could be a “game changer” for the island as it would have a positive economic impact.
She also emphasized the need for a comprehensive technical study on the estimated cost of the project.
