Ministry studying ways to make border crossing hassle-free – Fadillah

MIRI: The Ministry of Works will look into a proposal to make roads in Marudi good to solve the hassle at the Immigration entry points between Sarawak and Brunei.

Speaking at a dinner and leader-with-the-people session here on Saturday, its minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the proposal was now still under the technical study stage.

“We have received many feedback from the people at grassroots level asking the ministry to upgrade roads in Marudi and construct a proper route to link Limbang and Lawas with Miri.”

Fadillah, also the Petra Jaya MP, hoped the technical study would be able to show positive results to put an end to the Immigration hassle experienced by Sarawakians when crossing the border with Brunei.

He acknowledged it was a truly troublesome experience for the local people, particularly frequent travelers, on the need to get their passports stamped 14 times before reaching their destination of Limbang or Lawas.

Although a number of discussions between Malaysia and Brunei had been conducted to address the issue, including the proposal to reduce the passport stamping from 14 to two times, Fadillah said negotiation with Brunei had not reached an agreement.

On other issues, he said the federal government was now in the process of collecting input from the people at grassroots level for the National Transformation 2050 (TN50).

He said inputs for the TN50 were vital in enabling the government to draft a new vision and programme for the country.

Fadillah, who is also PBB youth chief wanted the party’s various branches in Miri to go to the ground and talk to the people and record their aspiration and views on ways to make the country great under TN50.

For Sarawak, he said, the state government’s aspiration was to continue to enhance its infrastructure development.

It was important to ensure that Pan Borneo Highway project would be completed on schedule and based on project specification, he added.

Sibuti MP Ahmad Lai Bujang, Lambir assemblyman Ripin Lamat, Layar assemblyman Gerald Rentap Jabu and local PBB leaders were also present at the function.