Kuala Lumpur: The proposed construction of the Trans-Borneo Railway, aimed at connecting Sabah, Sarawak, and Brunei, is being urged for expedited development to foster stronger economic integration, especially with Indonesia's relocation of its capital to Kalimantan.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Rodiyah Sapiee (GPS-Batang Sadong) emphasized that realizing this project would expand the infrastructure network, create job opportunities, increase income levels, and transform Borneo into a competitive economic growth center. She highlighted the importance of high-capacity infrastructure development, such as highways, to integrate Borneo's economic regions. She acknowledged the government's progress on the Pan Borneo Highway in Sarawak and its commitment to a new international airport.
Rodiyah proposed collaboration with Brunei and Indonesia to develop a comprehensive land transport network covering Borneo, including highways and rail systems. The media previously reported an allocation of RM7 million for the Trans-Borneo Railway feasibility study, funded by the Federal Government under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), as confirmed by Sabah Deputy Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya.
Rodiyah also urged the government to refine the "Look to Borneo" policy to benefit Sabah, Sarawak, and Malaysia as a whole. She noted that the Borneo archipelago's population is about 23 million, comparable to Peninsular Malaysia, offering significant economic advantages, especially for Sarawak, rich in natural resources.
Furthermore, she pointed out the strategic location and abundant resources of Sabah and Sarawak. She mentioned Indonesia's administrative relocation to Kalimantan as a catalyst for economic opportunities in the region.
Meanwhile, Datuk Jonathan Yasin (GRS-Ranau) urged the Federal Government to reinforce Malaysia's maritime border in Sabah following the Philippines' claim with the United Nations on June 15, 2024, to an extended continental shelf in the South China Sea. He criticized the Philippines for disregarding Malaysia's borders by including Sabah in its maritime baseline, calling on the Malaysian government to assert its territorial sovereignty by establishing a monument at the maritime boundary.