KOTA KINABALU – Kalabakan MP Ma’mun Sulaiman said he is disheartened by Putrajaya’s decision to put the construction of the Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) complex in his constituency on hold.
The Warisan lawmaker said the decision to suspend the RM600 million project goes against the advice in the king’s address during the opening of Parliament to address the development imbalance in the Borneo states.
“In his Royal Address on the first day of the current Parliament session, the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong stated unequivocally that Sabah and Sarawak have a development imbalance with West Malaysia.
“Tuanku did state that while megaprojects such as the Central Spine Road, East Coast Rail Link, and MRT3 are progressing in West Malaysian states, the government must make a concerted effort to develop infrastructure required by the people of Sabah and Sarawak,” he told The Vibes, tonight.
Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, when responding to Ma’mun’s question in Parliament, said the Kalabakan CIQS project was suspended due to the lack of funds.
Bernama reported Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar as having expressed his disappointment over the suspension, saying that Sabah stands to lose the economic potential to be gained from the CIQS complex.
Ma’mun said the establishment of the CIQS complex would be beneficial to the economy of the folks in Kalabakan, where hardcore poverty is rampant.
“The CIQS for Kalabakan-Serudung will be the first of its kind in Sabah, with the goal of improving the establishment of economic and social interactions between the two neighbouring countries.
“At the border, we have witnessed uncontrollable smuggling activities. With the establishment of CIQS and improved road transportation, trade will be organised and legalised,” he said.
Unlike Sabah, Sarawak enjoys cross-border trade with Kalimantan, Indonesia, following the opening of the Tebedu CIQS, and now the federal government has approved four more CIQS in Sarawak.
“States such as Kedah and Perlis have border CIQS complexes with southern Thailand, as well as Johor and Singapore.
“We are perplexed as to why Sabah, which has enormous potential for cross-border trade with Kalimantan, has not been supported with adequate infrastructure,” said Ma’mun, adding that the federal government too can reap the benefits of such trade.
Ma’mun said some clarity on certain plans for Sabah and Sarawak, including the CIQS in Kalabakan, would be made known when Economic Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili visit Jakarta and the site of the new Indonesian capital, Nusantara in Penajam Paser in East Kalimantan next week. – The Vibes, March 28, 2022
