KOTA KINABALU: Labuan member of parliament Datuk Rozman Isli today expressed hope that ongoing the efforts to boost connectivity will spur economic growth in the federal territory.
He said the recently revived billion-ringgit Labuan-Menumbok bridge project, which is being undertaken by the federal government, could be completed by 2024.
"The bridge connectivity will not only improve the tourism industry but also help other sectors grow faster.
"But for now, there is an increasing number of people travelling to Labuan via Menumbok," he said.
Rozman was speaking to reporters after he and Labuan Chamber of Commerce paid a courtesy call to Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal at State Administrative Centre here, today.
He added that on average, the Labuan-Menumbok route accommodates hundreds of thousands of vehicles every year.
He said there were four ferries, with a maximum capacity of 100 cars each, operating twice a day.
"But, it is still not adequate as more people are using the services, especially during festivities and weekends.
"We are also hoping for a collaboration with the Sabah government to ramp up investments in addition to existing ones to prevent a bottleneck," he said, adding they are also looking for investors on providing safer speed boats for the public.
Rozman said although Labuan is a Federal Territory, it had some 150,000 people who were registered voters in Sabah.
He said other requests made to Mohd Shafie include expanding the Pan Borneo Highway project Beaufort to Membakut and to allow Labuan fishermen to catch fish in Sabah waters.
"We hope the state government would also include Labuan into the Sabah Development Plan.