KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — Labuan Island, one of the three Federal Territories of Malaysia, should be returned to Sabah if the federal government still can’t commit to developing the island’s economy, said Datuk Rozman Isli (Labuan-Warisan).

In his King Speech’s debate, Rozman said that Labuan was given to the federal government in 1984 for it to be developed as an international trade and financial zone that would benefit Sabah, but this has yet to materialise.

"We want to hear from the federal government if they are willing to develop Labuan... if they can’t, they should return the rights and all the money that should be received by Sabah.

"Sabah can develop Labuan as we have the means to do so.

"We even want to ask the Sabah people to vote to take back Labuan,” he told Parliament after replying to the suggestion from Datuk Mohamad Alamin (Kimanis-BN) that a referendum should be made in Labuan over its possible return to Sabah.

Rozman also agreed with a suggestion from Datuk Azis Jamman (Sepanggar-Warisan) that the state should get 80 per cent of Petronas’ profit from oil and gas exploration along its shores.

He said that the apparent unfair treatment of East Malaysia was also too much to bear now as the federal government had failed to listen to the aspirations of the people of Sabah and Sarawak.

"In the peninsula, you can choose a method to go to any state. Many highways and now you (will) have ECRL (East Coast Rail Link) and HSR (High Speed Railway).

"But in Borneo, in the year 2020, you want to start the Pan-Borneo highway. It only links Sabah and Sarawak, not Labuan.

"It has many intersections to houses around it, I don’t know if we can call it a highway,” he said, mentioning the highway should also link the Island to Membakut, Sabah with a bridge.

Rozman also highlighted several decisions made by federal government officers which had failed to address the problems of Labuan people, including cancelling the renovation of a well-known surau in Labuan town in favour of a still-unbuilt and very expensive "floating mosque” situated far from the town.

He said last week, he also tried to post a question to the Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man as the island faces a water crisis due to the poor maintenance of old pipes.

"For more than one week, 85 per cent of Labuan people had no water during the Covid-19 pandemic when they have to take care of their cleanliness. People had to buy mineral water to bathe.

"Major water problems occur every few years and small problems happen almost every day.

"Why? The reason is the Labuan JBA allocation for the maintenance and replacement of pipes for too long has been too small and far from enough.

We need RM1 billion but get only RM100 million. Even so, I read in the newspaper that RM60 million has been given,” he said.

Earlier today, Anyi Ngau (Baram-GPS) also highlighted the perceived unfair treatment given to East Malaysia as they lack even basic infrastructure that is enjoyed in the peninsula.