Relocate Labuan ferry terminal if new bridge not possible, urges business group

KOTA KINABALU: The Labuan Chamber of Commerce (LCC) has proposed that the roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) ferry terminal be relocated to Tanjung Aru on the island.

This was after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's announcement earlier this week that building a bridge linking Labuan to mainland Sabah was not the government's priority at the moment.

LCC chairman Daniel Doughty noted that relocating the terminal to Tanjung Aru to connect to Mempakul in Sabah would cut down the travelling time between the island and the mainland.

"The LCC believes that the ro-ro service between Tanjung Aru and Mempakul could alleviate Labuan's connectivity issues with the mainland," he said on Saturday (March 4).

"The distance between Labuan and Mempakul is approximately 5.8km, and the estimated ro-ro ferry ride duration is only 45 minutes.

"This is a win-win for all as it's about convenience," he added.

Doughty said relocating the ferry terminal to Tanjung Aru would ensure that proper Customs and Immigration quarantine and security (CIQS) needs could be better designed to prevent current operational flow and future issues regarding security and business operational flow, benefiting both the community and travellers.

"Such a solution would bring progress, growth and prosperity, benefiting not only Labuan but also mainland Sabah.

"The LCC calls upon all stakeholders to put their differences of opinion aside, meet at the middle ground and support this crucial initiative," he said.

On the Labuan bridge issue, Doughty urged the Labuan Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Datuk Dahlif Singh as well as the ferry operator Mainland Link Sdn Bhd to acknowledge that the proposed Labuan bridge was needed for the benefit of both shores.

"The LCC emphasises that there is widespread agreement among the general public, business community and academicians that better connectivity, particularly through the proposed bridge, would bring significant economic benefits to both Labuan and the mainland.

"While the LCC acknowledges the government's decision not to prioritise the Labuan bridge proposal, it stresses that this does not mean the bridge is unimportant or insignificant for Labuan's future economy," he said.

Towards this end, Doughty urged the government to adopt a pragmatic approach when dealing with the matter.

He also suggested that if funding the bridge as part of its social obligation becomes difficult, and if the request for proposal processes for building the bridge fell short, the government should consider relocating the ferry terminal to Tanjung Aru.

Dahlif had said earlier on Saturday welcomed the government's decision over the bridge, saying the shift from the futile chase for a bridge to more realistic matters could better help boost the local economy.