KOTA KINABALU: The long-delayed Pulau Bum-Bum bridge was raised again in the Sabah State Assembly, with Warisan's Datuk Jaujan Sambakong urging the state government to revive the long-stalled project.
Debating the Sabah Budget 2026, the Sulabayan assemblyman said the bridge linking Pulau Bum-Bum to the mainland in Semporna had been approved and announced on more than one occasion, but was later shelved following changes in administration.
Jaujan said RM25mil was approved in 2012 for preliminary works on the proposed 1.4km bridge, which was estimated to cost about RM430mil in total, but the project never progressed as planned.
“The Pulau Bum-Bum bridge was approved, preliminary works were carried out, but it was later cancelled. It was announced again, and cancelled again, and until today the people of Pulau Bum-Bum are still waiting,” he said.
Pulau Bum-Bum, a densely populated island off Semporna on Sabah’s east coast, has more than 30,000 residents and relies largely on boat transport, making a permanent bridge vital for daily mobility, access to services and economic activity.
Jaujan rejected ferry services as a long-term solution, citing high operating and maintenance costs.
“Using ferries is not an easy solution because it involves high operating and maintenance costs. Even Labuan and parts of Sarawak have stopped ferry services and replaced them with bridges,” he said.
He urged the Sabah government to reopen negotiations with the Federal Government to revive the bridge project, noting that federal funding had already been approved in the past.
Jaujan said residents continue to bear daily transport costs, with some spending about RM20 per trip by boat to travel between the island and Semporna town.
Often highlighted during election campaigns, the Pulau Bum-Bum bridge has yet to materialise despite repeated announcements, leaving residents still waiting.
Meanwhile, Jaujan also raised concerns over cleanliness in Semporna, warning that poor waste management threatens Sabah’s image as a key tourism destination.
He said Semporna receives between 2,000 and 3,000 foreign tourists daily, particularly from China, but rubbish and pollution continue to undermine the visitor experience.
“We call Semporna one of the best tourism destinations in the world, but it is still dirty with rubbish,” he said.
