KOTA KINABALU – Three companies have expressed their interest in constructing a bridge linking Labuan to Sabah, the Federal Territories Ministry stated in an update on the controversial project, today.
In a statement, the ministry said it has received three proposals from the companies after a “request for proposal” advertisement jointly done with the Works Ministry ended on November 1 last year.
The ministry, however, did not name the three bidding companies and the cost of building the structure.
“Technical evaluation and commercial request for proposal process has been carried out and the outcome of the evaluation has been endorsed by the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu).
“A detailed decision will be presented by the Federal Territories Ministry and the Works Ministry to cabinet in the nearest time,” the ministry stated.
It added the government is taking the bridge project seriously and making an effort to realise the Labuan-Sabah bridge plan.
The bridge is part of the plans under the Labuan Development Blueprint 2030 and Local Planning 2020. Its construction is also included in the Labuan Development Plan 2040 which is being prepared by Labuan Corporation.
In light of the longstanding proposal, the Labuan-Sabah bridge project has since been blowing hot and cold, despite Sabah government urging the federal government to build the infrastructure.
Last September, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim told the Parliament that the Labuan-Menumbok bridge is expected to commence in July and will be undertaken under the Public-Private Initiative.
Menumbok is part of Sabah’s territory.
“Negotiations will commence with the party and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the project is expected to be signed next year (2022),” he said.
The project which is said to cost about RM4 billion was proposed under the Labuan Master Development Plan of 1997.
The last 25 years, however, saw several former federal territory ministers announcing that the project would kick-off, until in recent years.
Initially, three routes were proposed including the first spanning 13.8km from Tanjung Aru (Labuan) to Lambidan in Kuala Penyu (Sabah), the second between Labuan town and Mempakul in Menumbok (Sabah) 8.3km, and finally from Labuan to Menumbok, with a midway island passthrough at Pulau Daat near Labuan. – The Vibes, June 30, 2022
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