KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has placed the Trans Borneo Railway project among its plans for the backbone of the state’s transport system, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick (pic).
He said a feasibility study is being done by the federal Transport Ministry to assess the potential for a rail network linking major towns and the interior to ease congestion, reduce reliance on road transport, and held with economic growth.
Ewon, the state Industry, Entrepreneurship and Transport Minister, said the rail system is part of Sabah’s long-term plan for integrated transport.
"The Trans Borneo Railway is not just about moving people and goods more efficiently, but about reshaping Sabah’s connectivity for the future.
"By reducing dependence on roads, we can ease congestion in our cities and open up new economic opportunities across the state," he told the state assembly sitting on Monday (April 27).
Datuk Abdul Ghani Yassin (GRS-Nabawan) wanted to know the government's plan to resolve traffic congestion in major towns like Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Keningau and Tawau.
Apart from the railway, Ewon said the state government was also rolling out the Sabah Sustainable Transport Master Plan (SSTMP), a comprehensive blueprint with short-, medium- and long-term strategies.
"The plan emphasises integration of land, sea and river transport into a cohesive system, designed to tackle rapid urbanisation and rising private vehicle ownership," he added.
In the short term, the BAS.MY programme was strengthening public transport in Kota Kinabalu operating eight main routes with modern buses equipped with cashless payment, GPS, CCTV and accessibility features.
"BAS.MY aims to encourage greater use of public transport and reduce reliance on private vehicles.
"Together, these measures – the railway project, SSTMP and BAS.MY – form Sabah’s layered strategy to progressively ease traffic congestion in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Tawau and Keningau, while aligning with its development plans," he added.
