Chief Minister launches KK's long-delayed Sky Bridge

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor looking at the view after officiating at the opening ceremony of the Sky Bridge in Kota Kinabalu on Friday

KOTA KINABALU: The city's long-delayed RM31.5mil pedestrian Sky Bridge project has finally been completed with the state government's intervention.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor Friday officially opened the Sky Bridge whose project was delayed for over three years following the bankruptcy of the project's developer in 2018.

Hajiji said the completion of the project showed that the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government is a proactive and caring government.

"It will benefit the public, in terms of convenience and also safety since there have been accidents reported (involving pedestrians crossing the road between Centre Point and Asia City)," he said.

The new Kota Kinabalu Sky Bridge which links three complexes in the city will be officially opened for public use from Sept 8.

During the previous state government's administration under Warisan-Plus (2018-20), the project was abandoned indefinitely with works stopping when the developer was declared insolvent.

Earlier this year, Hajiji visited the site and immediately announced an RM4.7mil allocation from the state government to complete the project.

He had also instructed that it be completed as soon as possible for the convenience and safety of the public.

The 440m Sky Bridge links the city's waterfront Oceanus complex, Api-Api Centre, and Asia City, and will be open to the public on Sept 9.

Kiosks are also available inside the air-conditioned section of the Sky Bridge.

The project was initially funded by the Prime Minister's Department Public Private Partnership Unit (Ukas) through a facilitation fund agreement between the Government of Malaysia, Malaysia Development Bank, and Sunsea Development Sdn Bhd on Feb 9, 2017.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor being briefed on Sky Bridge by Kota KInabalu City Mayor Noorliza Awang Alip with Sabah Progressive Party president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee (centre).

Under the agreement, the Malaysian government has the right to terminate the facilitation fund should the developer become insolvent.

Construction of the pedestrian linkages and upgrading works of the surrounding infrastructures began on April 1, 2017, and were scheduled for completion within six months (Sept 30, 2017) but later extended to April 30, 2018.

Sunsea Development Sdn Bhd was given the winding-up order on April 18, 2018 with 90% of the project already completed, the contractor, Petrofiq Sdn Bhd halted works citing it did not receive payment.