Do not compare Penang’s mega projects with one year of Sabah road funding, state PKR tells PAS rival

KOTA KINABALU — The Madani Government in Sabah remains committed to prioritizing transport infrastructure development, according to Sabah PKR Information Chief Ahmad Farid Sainuri. In response to Sabah PAS's criticism of the Federal Government's transport infrastructure priorities, Ahmad Farid emphasized that comparisons between states must consider their respective scale and requirements.

He stressed that Sabah's roads still require serious attention, including a faster completion of the Pan Borneo Highway to narrow the development gap between Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. The more than RM21 billion allocated for Penang comprises mainly large-scale infrastructure projects spread over several years, such as the RM16.8 billion Penang LRT project and airport, port, and cruise terminal expansion projects.

The total value of Sabah's road maintenance allocation for a single year, including the Pan Borneo Highway Phase 1A and 1B, Sarawak-Sabah Link Road Phases 1 and 2, and the Trans Borneo Highway, amounts to RM15.9 billion, RM8.81 billion, and RM2.99 billion, respectively. The comparison of Penang's projects solely with one component of Sabah's road maintenance allocation is inaccurate.

If the full value of Penang's LRT is included, the same consideration must be given to the full value of Sabah's mega projects. Additionally, Penang faces urban transport, density, and congestion issues that necessitate a mass transit system, while Sabah is a larger region with different geographical challenges. Development justice demands that both regions be developed based on their respective needs while addressing Sabah's development gap.