Sabah-Kalimantan road will be a game changer, says Bung

 

Sabah deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin said the road was important in view of Indonesia’s plan to move its capital to East Kalimantan.

TAWAU: Construction of the 39km road from Kalabakan near here to the border in Serudong will boost Malaysia’s border economy.

Sabah deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin said the road will then connect with the road to Simanggaris in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

The construction project will be a game changer for the development and income of locals in Sabah in view of Indonesia’s plan to move its capital to Kalimantan.

“I have informed the prime minister (Ismail Sabri Yaakob) that the project needs to be implemented immediately because it will have an impact on Sabah, especially in the economic and tourism sectors.

“That’s why my team and I have visited several possible road alignments for this proposed project,” he told reporters after visiting the Air Cinta Mata Dam project in Gudang Empat in Tawau.

Bung, who is also Sabah works minister, said the road will improve accessibility for Malaysian and Indonesian citizens while improving border security.

Meanwhile, he said the Air Cinta Mata Dam project, worth over RM400 million, will be completed before the end of 2024 and will supply clean water to the population in Tawau.

“The project was interrupted due to the enforcement of multiple movement control orders and as some of the workers required work permits, but all issues have been settled.”

He wanted clean water to be supplied manually to affected residents. He asked the Sabah state water department to take the initiative to send water tankers, reported Bernama.

“We also urge the water department to use water contractors to send water to areas in need.

“I suggest that assemblymen in all affected areas to use their allocations and create a station for installing water tanks.

“For instance, a station can have 10 water tanks and water tankers can send water there three times a week. Residents can then fetch water from these stations.

“I know residents are suffering due to water problems,” he added.

Bung urged residents to remain patient a little longer as the government was doing its best to implement various water-related construction projects for their benefit. - FMT