Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Labuan understands the position of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when he said that the Sabah-Labuan bridge is not a priority compared to more pressing needs, specifically the inadequate and inefficient provision of water and electricity supply on the island.

Its division chief, Datuk Peter Mak, said PBS Labuan also appreciates the Prime Minister’s concern to urgently resolve the long overdue persistent problematic issues surrounding water and electricity supply and the resulting hardship to the people.

“However, as much as providing long-term solutions to the water and electricity issues plaguing the people is long overdue, also equally important is the construction of the Sabah-Labuan bridge,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Mak who is PBS vice president, added the proposed bridge has remained the hope of the people of Labuan for a long time, not as a luxury but as basic infrastructure and connectivity between Labuan and mainland Sabah.

“Therefore, the provision of this basic infrastructure should not be viewed, though important, solely from the perspective of economic returns but also as part of the government’s social obligations to the people, which PBS Labuan believes will generate much positive returns and goodwill.

“This is the pulse of the people and will remain so, he said.

“PBS Labuan is glad that while the Prime Minister, who celebrated his first year in office recently, rightly said that the proposed bridge is not a priority at the moment, he did not shelve the prospect of its construction.

“PBS Labuan is optimistic that the Prime Minister, who always has the welfare of the people at heart, will reconsider the proposed project once the water and electricity supply problems are resolved, which we reckon would be not too far away since a specific budget has been allocated for the purpose.

“Once the supply of water and electricity is sufficient for the people and industry, the proposed bridge would realise its full potential in catering to the needs of the people and as an industrial and development enabler.

“This would serve Labuan and the people of Labuan and Sabah well,” he added.

During his visit to Labuan last week, Anwar said the federal government will focus on resolving basic infrastructure issues involving the people instead of implementing major development projects which can be deferred.

He said the proposed construction of a RM6 billion bridge to link Labuan with mainland Sabah is not a priority for the government.

“The Labuan bridge is an old proposal. We need to see our capability and the human traffic volume, and it does not make economic sense to build the bridge.

“In Labuan’s development plans, we take measures to quickly settle key issues affecting the people, like water supply. I can’t accept it if basic problems are still not resolved while driving rapid economic growth and attracting hundreds of billions of ringgit in investment,” he said.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by The Borneo Post

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