Proposed Labuan bridge could involve land swap, says Ismail

 

A proposal to build a bridge from Labuan island to the Sabah mainland has been discussed several times by the Cabinet.

LABUAN: A proposal to build a bridge from Labuan to Menumbok on the Sabah mainland was never withdrawn and has been discussed several times at Cabinet level, says caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said it had been discussed two or three weeks before Parliament was dissolved and it was agreed that the project should continue, with only the formula of how it is to be implemented requiring further deliberation.

He said the project would cost a lot and it would be quite difficult for the federal government to allocate a high budget.

“Perhaps a private finance initiative (would be more feasible), but it needs to be discussed comprehensively because it may involve a land swap of a large chunk of land, maybe half of the land on Labuan,” he said.

Ismail said there was a proposal that the project could involve land reclamation for use by the developers, but the government was not sure of the area required for the purpose.

“The best formula is being sought, and at the same time, the Cabinet also wants to see a long-term plan for the implementation of the construction of this bridge,” he said.

Ismail said the government acknowledged that development in Labuan had been relatively slow even though the island had long been a financial sector hub. - FMT