KOTA KINABALU: Authorities have rolled out a 0.4-hectare temporary trailer parking facility and a 5.7-hectare container storage yard to curb illegal roadside parking and congestion around the Sepanggar Bay Container Port (SBCP).
Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick said Saturday (Nov 14) that the facilities form part of 10 interim action plans endorsed by the State Cabinet following a fatal Oct 18 accident on Jalan Sepanggar, where a falling container crushed a car and killed a 53-year-old man and his 24-year-old daughter.
Provided by the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP), the temporary lot accommodates up to 50 trailers when private depots are full or closed after hours, with room to expand based on demand. Kota Kinabalu City Hall will assist in gazetting the site so transport operators can legally list it as a depot when renewing annual permits.
"A compound issued by enforcement agencies for a trailer parked on the road shoulder is RM300. This amount is actually enough to cover the rental fee at the temporary trailer parking facility for almost a month," Ewon said, noting that weekly checks still show over 200 trailers parked illegally along road shoulders.
Between 2024 and 2026, Sabah's Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (LPKP) carried out more than 3,000 enforcement actions, including 2,085 violation notices, 846 warning letters, 82 suspensions, and 16 permit revocations, for breaches such as shoulder parking.
Meanwhile, Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd (SPSB) will develop the adjacent 5.7-hectare storage yard to support 24-hour KKIP manufacturers and temporarily store wood-based products for the Sabah Timber Industries Association. Ewon added that the interim measures will remain active until the ongoing SBCP expansion into a modern integrated port is completed.
