Deputy Minister briefed on SDC projects
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (Sedia) yesterday briefed a delegation led by Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs, Senator Dr Mohd Radzi bin Md Jidin on Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) projects.
Mohd Radzi, currently on a three-day visit to Sabah that began yesterday, visited key projects in Sabah that included several SDC projects.
The SDC projects that the Deputy Minister was briefed on were the upgrading of Sapangar Bay Container Port (SBCP) into a transhipment hub, Kota Kinabalu walkway and cycleway project, and the construction of Tuaran township–Damit River, Jalan Pekan Tuaran bridge.
The expansion of SBCP was approved under the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP), allowing for more efficient container handling that will speed up discharging and loading operations.
The expansion project is needed so as to address the logistic gaps and inefficiency faced in Sabah, support industrialisation of the state economy for high value-add manufacturing, as well as attract investment through making Sabah an attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI).
The SBCP expansion will effectively position SBCP as a Regional Logistic Transhipment Hub for value-add cargo, serving East Asean and North Asia (Korean, Japan, and China).
The result will not only bring about savings of not less than RM400 million a year in shipping costs to the state, but will essentially act as a key catalyst to spear social and economic growth in Sabah, through high valueadd downstream manufacturing activities for international export markets.
The walkway and cycleway project was initiated with the objective of promoting a healthier lifestyle for residents of Kota Kinabalu and is the state’s first recreational network, which upon completion spans approximately 16.1 kilometres and covers coastal areas.
The project starts from Tanjung Aru beach, extends along Jalan Mat Salleh past the Tanjung Aru town centre, to the Kota Kinabalu Central Business District along the Coastal Highway, continues along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens and Jalan Sulaman, and ends at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
The project provides bicycle and pedestrian tracks, track lights and closed-circuit cameras, which are decorated with soft landscapes. Consisting of four parcels, the walkway and cycleway covers a length of 16.1 kilometres, of which development consists of: Parcel one (KK city port and Likas bay, 4.3 kilometres); Parcel two (Tanjung Aru and Sembulan, 2.8 kilometres); Parcel three (Menara Tun Mustapha and UMS, 4.5 kilometres); and Parcel four (Central business district, 4.5 kilometres).
The construction of the Tuaran township–Damit River, Jalan Pekan Tuaran bridge, which spans 104 meters, also includes 236 meters of road upgrades, and will see much shorter commute times between the Tuaran township and nearby villages.
The project ensures locals will have access to a permanent bridge, connecting Tuaran town at the East, crossing Sungai Tuaran, and linking Kg. Kapayan, Kg. Sawah and other villages at the West. It directly and indirectly stimulates the economy in the greater Tuaran area, focusing on Tuaran town as a centre of economic, business and social activities.
SDC had entered into its Third Phase of implementation in 2016, and Sedia had adopted a more focused and targeted approach in attracting quality investments in new growth areas, especially in service-based, innovation-led and knowledge-intensive industries including in Industry 4.0.
During the 11MP, Sedia had been according greater emphasis on improving the state’s economic competitiveness by enhancing the state’s global connectivity to ensure seamless movement of people, goods and services.
Efforts would be directed especially towards enhancing the efficiency of the logistics sector by improving the relevant infrastructure and the integration of land, sea, and air services.
In the long run, this is expected to reduce the cost of living and conducting business.
Following a review of the roles of all government agencies and statutory bodies by the newly elected Federal government, the Authorities for the five Economic Corridors have been placed under the helm of the Ministry of Finance.
As the One-Stop Authority tasked with implementing SDC, Sedia is ready to provide its full cooperation with the relevant stakeholders in order to realise the continued success of all SDC projects, programmes and initiatives.