KOTA KINABALU: Chinese investors have expressed interest in developing a sky train project here in an effort to upgrade the transportation system in the state capital.
Deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said there were already investors from China and Hong Kong who wanted to invest in Sabah, including in the agriculture industry.
"Investors from China, for example, want to invest in the construction of a sky train that is currently in the planning stages at the state Public Works Ministry," he said in a statement today, reiterating the state government's efforts to increase investments to support Sabah's economic development.
In the state legislative assembly sitting last month, Bung had highlighted suggestion to establish a sky train project.
The modern transportation system is to be built connecting the Kota Kinabalu International Airport with the state capital and its surrounding locations such as Putatan and 1 Borneo, Jalan Sulaman.
Bung Moktar, however, did not reveal the cost of project but expressed confidence that such a system could be implemented to resolve the current ineffectiveness of public transportation and traffic congestions.
In previous years, the Transit Rapid Bus system was approved to be developed in the city area with a cost of RM1 billion during the Barisan Nasional administration. It however, failed to be implemented.
Bung, who is state Public Works Minister, said Sabah needed to continue to boost efforts to pull in more foreign investors to help develop the state.
"The influx of investors will ensure more development can be carried out. We will meet with government-linked companies and ask them to intensify efforts to bring in foreign investments.
"The state government is also focused on helping the people. We must do something that can assist the 'rakyat' and this must be a continuous effort," he said.
He stressed that Gabungan Rakyat Sabah was committed to bring changes without adding to the mistakes of the past government.