KOTA KINABALU: Relocating the roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) ferry terminal is the next best thing for Labuan after the government put plans for a bridge to mainland Sabah on the back burner, says a political economist.
Sabah Universiti Teknologi Mara’s Dr Firdausi Suffian said he agreed with the proposal by the Labuan Chamber of Commerce (LCC) to move the terminal from its present location in Labuan town to Tanjung Aru on the island.
“The idea mooted by LCC chairman Daniel Doughty...seems a more feasible option for now since the bridge is not on the government’s priority list at the moment,” he said on Thursday (March 9).
He added that this would provide ease of travel for commuters in terms of travelling time as well as possibly being cheaper due to the reduced distance.
Doughty had last week said that relocating the terminal to Tanjung Aru to connect to Mempakul in Sabah would cut down travel time between the island and mainland.
He said the ro-ro service between Tanjung Aru and Mempakul could alleviate Labuan's connectivity issues with the mainland, with the ride taking only 45 minutes given the 5.8km distance from Labuan to Mempakul.
"This is a win-win for all as it's about convenience," he added.
The bridge issue has been a matter of debate, with the LCC and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) disagreeing with views by the Labuan Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on whether or not the facility was needed to boost development in the Federal Territory.
In Firdausi's view, the bridge is necessary for Labuan to grow as a business and trading hub.
“The bridge has a great spillover effect for Labuan and also the south-west region of Sabah.
“Labuan is a free trade zone area, an international offshore financial centre as well as an oil and gas hub, so the bridge will surely benefit the island.
“It would also help ease the transport of goods as Labuan depends so much on Sabah for food supply," he added.
