THE Sabah government is considering the proposal to construct a railway line from the west coast to the east coast, said State Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony today.

He said the Sabah Railway Department conducted a study on the first phase of the railway line connecting Kota Kinabalu to Tuaran, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu and Kudat, while the second phase will be from Kudat to Sandakan and Tawau.

“We know that Indonesia will be moving its capital city to Kalimantan and this (railway line to Tawau) will benefit the state and federal governments in terms of trade,” he told reporters after visiting Pulau Berhala near Sandakan.

Peter said the existing railway line connects Kota Kinabalu to Tenom over a 134km stretch.

On his visit to Pulau Berhala, Peter said his ministry will consider the request to build a new jetty to the island under the 12th Malaysia Plan.

He said building the jetty would cost an estimated RM2 million and it would replace the present jetty, which can no longer meet the needs of the more-than 3,000 residents on the island.

Peter also said the state Water Department would provide three tanks with a capacity of 10,000 gallons of water each for the residents of Pulau Berhala.

At present, the people on the island are getting their water supply from three wells.

Peter also said he would be discussing with the state education and innovation minister the islanders’ request for a primary school.

Currently, students on the island have to take a boat ride each day to go to school in Sandakan. – Bernama, October 2, 2019.