KUALA LUMPUR: The southern region of Sabah and northern region of Sarawak will receive an economic boost through the construction of the Labuan Bridge, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
Rahman, who is the minister in charge of the Economic Planning Unit, said the bridge will act as a catalyst where the Labuan International Airport is only a leisurely drive away for those living in Sipitang, Sabah and Lawas, Sarawak instead of hours of driving to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
“Today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced the appointment of an engineering consultant to study the techno-economic aspect of the Labuan Bridge, a significant step towards building of the bridge, the long awaited project by the people of Labuan and Sabah.”
The study, he said, was not a socioeconomic one, as that was already conducted by the universities.
Instead, the techno-economic study covers the engineering, technical and financial modelling.
“This is a crucial procedure before we can start building the bridge. Just like the RTS (Rapid Transit System) and HSR (High Speed Rail), the bridge is yet another grand vision of the Prime Minister to provide seamless connectivity to the people of Malaysia.
“The bridge is another game changer project under his long term vision. His vision for Malaysia is working.”
The proposed bridge linking Labuan to mainland Sabah via Menumbok was identified by the federal government as a key enabler to spur the economic development of the island and its surrounding regions.
