VOTERS and analysts are all for a bridge linking Labuan and Sabah but said basic amenities, such as good roads and clean water, are more important for the state.

They comments come after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin launched Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s (GRS) nine-point manifesto on Wednesday in Kota Kinabalu.

Among its major promises were restarting the Pan Borneo Highway, turning Port Sepanggar into a logistics hub and building a bridge linking Sabah and Labuan island.

“The bridge to Labuan is long overdue because it improves trade between Sabah and the island but more important than that is road connections,” said Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sabah campus’ Dr Firdausi Suffian.

“For too long, Sabah has relied on resource extraction projects, such as oil and timber, but these sectors only encourage rent-seeking by concessionaires, while the economic spin-off effects and job creation is too low,” said the political economist.

Sabah lacks trade because it is hampered by the lack of infrastructure, such as roads, he said.

“This is why restarting the Pan Borneo Highway is good, especially the Tawau to North Kalimantan region.

“With just 3km separating Simayaris and Serudong, the link can connect the whole Borneo island,” he added.

The Labuan-Menumbok bridge project was proposed by former prime minister Najib Razak in 2018 during the launch of the Labuan Development Blueprint 2030, but there were no cost estimates for the project.

Meanwhile, it was meant to commence construction in 2020 and completed by 2023 but Sabah has yet to agree to the plan.

If built, the bridge would be the second longest bridge in Malaysia, following Penang’s Second Link at 23km. The distance between Menumbok and Labuan is about 21km.

Clean water, roads

However, despite agreeing that the Pan Borneo Highway should be completed, voters said they are unimpressed with the progress made on the bridge and 12 years of empty promises.

“They have promised the bridge since 2008 but nothing has happened,” said Wan Aziz Mohd from Kuala Penyu.

“A bridge won’t make a lot of difference to us,” said the 50-year-old.

“It is more important for us to have clean, consistent water.”

According to Wan Aziz, they have water problems every day and have to wait until midnight before there was enough pressure to collect water.

“Yes, we have water pipes but there is no water during the day. We have to stay up till midnight to wait for there to be enough pressure so that we can collect water for the next day.”

He said villagers in the Kuala Penyu area, 40km away from Menumbok, have had to put up with this problem for the past two to three months.

Restaurant manager Hanna Josep felt the bridge might not be very useful for ordinary Sabahans.

“Only those who go to Labuan for work will find it useful. Most Sabahans live too far away from Labuan to go there for tourism or duty-free shopping,” said the 30-year-old.

Although Hanna has been to Labuan more than a dozen times, the Ranau resident said she had only done it when she was based in Brunei.

“Back then, it was the only place to go when we were off. But now that I’m back in Kota Kinabalu, it seems too far to go.”

However, Hanna felt that the promise to restart the highway and improving train lines in Sabah is better.

“For now, there is only one line from KK to Beaufort. There are no train lines in the rest of Sabah.”

Realistic manifesto

Despite the opinions of ordinary Sabahans, Universiti Malaya’s Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi, said GRS’s manifesto is realistic.

“They did not promise the stars and the moon, so it is more rational for voters to accept. This is better than overpromising and then having difficulties fulfilling them later,” said the Sarawakian.

Yet, he said that GRS has now obtained a slight edge over governing party Warisan Plus.

“Even though it’s a simple manifesto, they have at least given some guide to voters on what they intend to do if they win the Sabah elections.” – September 18, 2020.