SABAH TODAY

BY PHOONG JIN ZHE
COMMENT: I agree with the Minister of Transports Wee Ka Siong that public transport system development projects would catalyze the economy and it would cushion the negative impact brought to the economy by the pandemic.

2. According to Wee, the Federal government has announced several public transportation projects such as the Rapid Transit System Link (RTS Link) from Johor Bahru, Johor to Woodlands, Singapore; MRT3 (Mass Rapid Transit) in Klang Valley, and the Gemas-Johor Bahru Electrified Double-Track Railway, in the budget speech announced yesterday.
3. Altogether it is estimated to cost approximately RM10 billion and the trickle-down effect would definitely encourage economy growth. However, I am deeply disappointed with the federal government who continuously ignore and neglect the needs of Sabahans who aspire to see a modern and reliable public transportation system in its capital – Kota Kinabalu. This is ashaming.
4. If Wee is a man of his words – that public transportation system projects could catalyze economy, then Wee must address the needs of Kota Kinabalu, by resuming the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Kota Kinabalu project. It would help to stimulate the economy of the capital city of Sabah in view of its economy being severely damaged by the pandemic.
5. The BRT KK project which was projected to cost RM1 billion has been long-awaited by Kota Kinabalu citizens since 2015 when it was first announced in the 2016 Budget by former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
6. Furthermore, according to the Greater Kota Kinabalu plan done by SEDIA a decade ago, the BRT KK project was supposed to be built and operating by 2020. Yet, it is devastating and saddening to me that it has been completely been neglected.
7. I want to stress the urgency of having a reliable, modern and systematic public transportation system in our capital, Kota Kinabalu. Other than the significantly growing population, the dependency of KK people to private vehicles is extremely high. This has caused KK to be increasingly congested during peak hours.
8. According to Malaysia Economic Monitor Report published by World Bank in 2015, the government is urged to build a reliable and modern public transportation system in Kota Kinabalu through “early intervention”.
9. KK people deserves better mobility and a better liveable environment. The planning has been done 10 years ago. It is supposed to be completed by now in 2020. Sadly, nothing has been done since then and KK’s development is not given enough attention as shown.
10. I would like to strongly urge the government to realize this long-delayed plan. By resuming the project, it would create more job opportunities and bring a trickle down effect to Kota Kinabalu and catalyze the economy. It would definitely help KK to recover from economic depression post pandemic.

• Phoong Jin Zhe is the Sabah State Assemblyman for Luyang