TAWAU, Jan 9 — The construction of the 39-kilometre (km) road from Kalabakan near here till the Malaysia border in Serudong that will connect with the road to Simanggaris in Kalimantan, Indonesia will boost Malaysia’s border economy.

Sabah deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said the construction project is in line with the move of Indonesia’s capital to Kalimantan and will be a game changer for the development and income of locals in Sabah.

“I have informed the prime minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob) that the project needs to be implemented immediately because it will bring an impact or be a game changer for Sabahans, including from the economic and tourism fields.

“I believe it will also increase the development in Sabah and perhaps with this game change, Sabah will be lifted from poverty. That’s why my team and I have visited several possible road alignments for the suggested project,” he told reporters after visiting the Air Cinta Mata Dam project in Gudang Empat here today.

Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah Works Minster, said the construction approach will also provide access for citizens in Malaysia and Indonesia and improve border security.

Meanwhile, he said the Air Cinta Mata Dam project in Gudang Empat, worth over RM400 million, was in the process of completion before the end of 2024 and will supply clean water to almost the entire population of Tawau.

“The project was interrupted due to the enforcement of multiple movement control orders and some of the workers who required work permits, but all issues have been settled,” he said.

He also wanted clean water to be supplied manually to affected residents and wanted the Sabah state water department to take the initiative to send water tankers.

“We also urge the water department to use water contractors to send water to areas in need, and I suggest that assemblymen in all affected areas to use their allocations to create a station to store water tanks.

“For instance, a station can have 10 water tanks and water tankers can send water three times a week, and residents can then fetch water from these stations. I know residents are suffering due to water problems,” he added.

Bung Moktar, however, urged residents to remain patient for a little longer as the government was doing its best to implement various water-related construction projects for their benefit. — Bernama