KOTA KINABALU, April 15, 2018: Local party coalition Gabungan Sabah’s struggle to regain 40% of revenues derived from the state would have direct positive impact on the people’s lives, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) secretary-general Datuk Richard Yong said.
He said additional state revenues would enable the coalition-led state government to implement the Light Rail Transit system for Kota Kinabalu.
Yong said the LRT system was part of a comprehensive effort to transform Sabah into a regional transport hub within this region.
“An overall upgrading of transportation will not only improve the lives of the people but will stimulate the business environment as well,” he said.
He said Barisan Nasional is insincere in resolving the worsening traffic woes in the city with only a dubious election promise of an improving of public transport.
Noting that the population of Kota Kinabalu and Kuching was almost similar, he said the Sarawak government was proceeding on its own with the LRT system that was to be operational by 2024.
He said caretaker Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Rahman Dahlan’s statement of the city needing an efficient public transport system reflected this insincerity.
“BN has been in power in more than two decades for him to just realise that our public transport here is so lacking is a sad joke,” said Yong.
He said BN appeared to woken up to the worsening traffic situation and the need for a comprehensive upgrading of public transport after the four local party coalition – Gabungan Sabah – had pledged to build a light rail transit for Kota Kinabalu in its election manifesto.
“BN had all the time in the world to improve public transport but they had to refer everything to Kuala Lumpur because of Ketuanan Malaya,” Yong said.
“And BN is talking about Kota Kinabalu not qualifying for an LRT for another 10 years. They are not interested in resolving the people’s woes, only to remain in power,” Yong added.
“Rahman is talking about a bus rapid transit which is nothing more than a stop gap measure. It is all a half baked solution,” he said.