Malaysia's five-year plan to enhance Sabah, Sarawak ties with Kalimantan

 

The 12th Malaysian Plan (12MP) for Sabah and Sarawak will, among others, focus on enhancing connections with neighbouring Kalimantan, in which Indonesia's new capital is to be located.

This will include efforts to improve transport connectivity between the Borneo states and Kalimantan, states the 12MP document which charts Malaysia's five-year policy direction from 2021 until 2025.

"This will include the construction of a road link between Serudong in Tawau, Sabah, and Simanggaris in North Kalimantan," said the more than 500-page document.

The plan also seeks to boost economic activity between the two towns by setting up Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS) facilities.

It adds that border towns will also be developed in the surrounding areas.

"Consideration will also be given to developing other potential cross-border road links and ICQS facilities, including in Pegalungan, Nabawan and Long Pasia, Sipitang," it said.

Likewise, in Sarawak, it said the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities in Tebedu, Serikin and Telok Melano would be upgraded to cater for the increasing cross-border commercial activities.

Furthermore, Putrajaya also plans to upgrade the digital infrastructure as well as electricity and water supply in priority border crossings and towns in Sabah and Sarawak.

The 12MP document said Sabah and Sarawak's electricity supply system will also be augmented.

It said the implementation of power projects in Sarawak, including the Baleh hydroelectric project and the Northern Grid, will provide additional capacity.

"The implementation of these projects will provide an injection point for future power supply to Sabah and to export it to Kalimantan," it said.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced in August 2019 that Indonesia's capital would be moved from Jakarta to East Kalimantan, increasing expectations that development will pick up in the region.

However, the project is facing delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic. - Mkini