RM1.3 mln for KK Port jetty upgrade, KK-LABUAN ferry service resumes
KOTA KINABALU: The federal government has approved an allocation of RM1.3 million for the Kota Kinabalu Port jetty repair and upgrading works as a prerequisite for restoring the express ferry service between Kota Kinabalu and the Labuan Federal Territory.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories), Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, said that improved connectivity between the two areas will stimulate growth across various sectors and strengthen East Malaysia's economic bloc.
'...this express ferry service carries great significance as it is set to become a catalyst for the regional economic, social, and developmental networks, including reinforcing family ties, facilitating the community's daily affairs, supply chains, and local socio-economic dynamics,' she said.
She was speaking at today's Kota Kinabalu-Labuan jetty and passenger ferry launching ceremony, officiated by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor at Kota Kinabalu Port here.
The passenger ferry service operations were suspended for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Zaliha said that students, patients, traders, and civil servants were affected during that period, and increased costs and longer travel times also impacted their welfare and daily productivity.
However, she said, the travel time between the two locations can now be reduced to around three hours compared to the previous five hours.
She said that over 400,000 trips were recorded via the sea routes, specifically Menumbok and Sipitang, in 2024 for various purposes, including employment, education, healthcare, and family matters, while more than 145,000 journeys were recorded in the first four months of this year.
'With the launch of this route, the total projected sea travels between Sabah and Labuan are expected to increase to 500,000. This will generate economic spillovers and revive the coastal economy, particularly in the food, transportation, accommodation, and retail sectors,' she added.
Meanwhile, in his speech, Hajiji said the resumption of the ferry service would bolster the maritime transport network and reopen a vital route for people's mobility and cross-regional economic development, also sending a clear signal of the government's commitment to the people's welfare.
He said that, besides the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, service disruptions were also caused by factors such as unsafe jetty structures and the withdrawal of fuel subsidies for operators, adding that as an immediate solution, the ferry terminal was relocated from Jesselton Point to Kota Kinabalu Port, with operational management entirely handled by the port.
'This ferry service is expected to positively impact the state's tourism sector, especially ahead of Visit Sabah Year 2026, while also opening new opportunities in trade and investment between Sabah and Labuan,' he said.
He said the service resumption also marks the beginning of a stronger, more efficient, and sustainable maritime transportation framework, in line with the state's aspiration to provide people-friendly and environmentally friendly facilities for future generations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
18 hours ago
- The Star
Demand for Idul Adha sacrificial livestock drops amid economic slowdown in Indonesia
JAKARTA: Livestock farmers and traders across various regions have complained about a sharp drop in demand for sacrificial livestock during the Idul Adha (Day of Sacrifice) holiday, amid the country's ongoing economic slowdown. Uday, a 41-year-old sheep trader in Bandung, West Java, said he had sold only one sheep on Thursday (June 5) morning, the day before Idul Adha, which falls on Friday (June 6) this year. [The Indonesian government had announced that the Idul Adha (Day of Sacrifice) holiday for the country this year fell on June 6] 'The day before the holiday is usually my busiest and most profitable with buyers typically arriving nonstop even before sunrise. Last year, I sold up to 25 sheep on this day. But today, only one buyer has come to my stall all morning,' he said, as quoted by Kompas. Uday, who prices his sheep between Rp 3 million (US$184) and Rp 5 million each, said he had sold only 10 animals over the past four days, marking a steep drop from last year, when he sold up to 50 sacrificial animals in the lead-up to the holiday. Subari, a cow seller in Batang Regency, Central Java, shared a similar struggle, saying he had managed to sell only 16 cows two days before Idul Adha. 'Last year, I sold 40 cows. But this year, people don't seem very interested in buying sacrificial animals, likely due to the tough economic conditions,' he said on Wednesday. Nizar, a cow farmer from Anambas Islands Regency in the Riau Islands, said his income had dropped sharply compared with last year. 'There are very few buyers this time, a stark contrast to last year. So far, I've only managed to sell four cows. In previous years, I would have already sold 20 to 30 by now,' he said on Wednesday (June 4), as reported by Tribunnews. Galang Saputra, a cow seller at Jetis Animal Market in Ponorogo Regency, East Java, reported that cow prices have fallen by Rp 1 million to Rp 1.5 million ahead of the Idul Adha holiday. 'Instead of rising, prices have dropped due to weak demand,' he said on Wednesday. Sellers at the market have also completely eliminated transportation fees for moving livestock after purchase in hopes of attracting more customers, but with little success. The Institute for Demographic and Affluence Studies (Ideas) estimates that 1.92 million people purchased sacrificial livestock this year, marking a decline of 233,000 buyers or around 12 percent compared with last year. This figure is even lower than during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the institute reported 2.11 million buyers in 2021 and 2.17 million buyers in 2022. Ideas managing director Haryo Mojopahit attributed the decline to a shrinking middle and upper-income class, the primary buyers of sacrificial animals. 'The large-scale purchase of sacrificial animals during Idul Adha is vital to the growth of the country's livestock sector. This sector provides an important source of income for rural communities and acts as a key driver of the local economy,' he said on Monday, as reported by Antara. Haryo added that since the meat from sacrificial animals is mostly distributed to low-income families, Idul Adha also helps narrow the significant gap in red meat consumption between high- and low-income households. A 2024 Ideas survey revealed that individuals in high-income families consume an average of 4.17 kilogrammes of red meat per year, while those in low-income families consume only 0.009 kg annually. Economists said consumer spending power in Indonesia has steadily weakened over the past two years. Wage increases in vital sectors, such as manufacturing, trade and agriculture, have lagged behind rising prices. The situation has been exacerbated by widespread layoffs, including in the primary sector. The country's economy recorded its slowest quarterly growth since Q3 2021, expanding by 4.87 percent. Meanwhile, household spending, which constitutes over half of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP), rose by just 4.89 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, marking the slowest growth in five quarters, despite increased consumer activity during the Ramadan and Idul Fitri celebrations in March. Overall GDP growth from January to March slowed to 4.87 percent year-on-year, down from 5.02 percent in the previous quarter. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
US imports from China hit their 2020 minimum for second month in row in April
MOSCOW: The United States continued to reduce imports from China in April amid tightening trade policies, hitting their five-year minimum, a RIA Novosti analysis of US statistical data showed on Thursday. US imports of Chinese goods fell by 13 per cent month-on-month in April, amounting to US$25.4 billion. They were last lower during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, when only US$19.6 billion worth of goods were imported. The US also reduced exports to China to US$8.2 billion, down from US$11.5 billion a month earlier. After high-level trade and economic talks in Geneva earlier in May, China and the US agreed to lower their reciprocal tariffs by 115 percentage points each for 90 days. Washington has cut tariffs on Chinese goods from 145 per cent to 30 per cent, while Beijing has reduced tariffs on American imports from 125 per cent to 10 per cent.
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Australian cities offer free public transport to fill empty seats, ease cost of living pain
SYDNEY: Up till August 2024, Seleneah More, a regular bus user in Brisbane, was spending about A$40 (S$33) a week on public transport. Her partner spent the same amount on transport, while her 12-year-old son spent about A$20 a week. The burden of this weekly expense was lifted on Aug 5, 2024, when the Queensland state government offered 50-cent fares for all rides on the state's buses, trains and light rail, regardless of the distance. More, a 49-year-old town planner, told The Straits Times her family now spends about A$20 a week on commutes. They save about A$47 when making trips to the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane, to visit her parents. 'For families, it helps not having to worry if your kids have enough money to get to and from where they are going,' she said. The Queensland scheme, which costs about A$300 million a year, was introduced as a six-month trial but was made permanent in February after it led to a big boost in public transport use and helped commuters cope with the cost of living. Official data in February showed that train travel had increased by 19 per cent, bus use by 16 per cent, light rail by 28 per cent, and ferries by 43 per cent since the scheme began. Other Australian states and territories have also been moving towards free travel in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing work-from-home phenomenon that caused a drop in public transport use. In Australia's most populous state of New South Wales, public transport usage remains more than 20 per cent below levels in late 2019, though usage has been steadily increasing. The state of Victoria announced on May 18 that public transport will be free for passengers under the age of 18 from Jan 1, 2026. This will apply to all forms of transport, including Melbourne's famous tram network, as well as trains and buses. The government said about one million children will benefit from the scheme, which will cost A$318 million over four years. 'This will save so many struggling families thousands of dollars a year,' Victoria Minister for Public Transport Gabrielle Williams said. 'Cheaper school runs, cheaper weekends at the (football) – and one less thing for families to worry about.' Transport experts have mostly welcomed the free schemes, saying they reduce congestion and pollution and encourage greater leisure travel, which can assist the tourism and hospitality sectors. A transport planning expert, Professor David Levinson from Sydney University, told ST that free or near-free public transport could lure additional passengers who 'might then stick around as the fares climb back up'. He said the extra passengers caused little additional expense on networks that were not full as the operating costs are fixed. Charging a small amount – such as 50 Australian cents in Queensland – was a good way to ensure that public transport attracts only passengers who need to travel, he added. 'Covid lowered ridership and Australian governments have tried to maintain services,' he said. 'To bring ridership up, you can add a sweetener to attract more people.' Canberra, the national capital, had free travel on its buses and light rail from September to November 2024 and now offers free travel on Fridays. Western Australia offered free travel in the city of Perth and regional areas during the eight weeks to Feb 5 – at a cost of A$14 million – to encourage public transport use during the slower summer period. A similar scheme during the previous summer led to a 42 per cent increase in public transport use compared with the summer before. But the moves have faced criticism from some economists, who questioned whether the schemes are affordable for cash-strapped Australian states and territories, which already heavily subsidise public transport. Some public transport advocates say money spent on free schemes should instead be invested in extending transport networks and increasing the frequency of services. However, experts have said the schemes have been successful and should be continued, as long as they do not prevent governments from investing in other transport improvements. A public transport expert, Dr Abraham Leung from Griffith University in Brisbane, told ST that assessing the cost of the Queensland scheme should consider broader benefits, such as lower pollution, reducing the need for road infrastructure and the associated costs, and the health benefits from increased walking. But he said the authorities should also focus on other improvements, particularly increasing the frequency of services. In Australia, a vast country with a population that is largely spread across sprawling cities, governments tend to focus on providing wide coverage of transport services rather than improving frequency and capacity along main routes. 'Transport in Australia is seen as a social safety net to ensure there is good geographic coverage,' he said. 'If resources are limited, we should focus on trunk routes and make sure they are more frequent, and that services are not overloaded and there are enough seats.' Prof Levinson said Sydney, the most populous city, had a good coverage of buses that ensured people had decent methods of accessing major train and transport hubs, but cities with smaller populations had fewer first- and last-mile options. He added: 'In Sydney, we lean towards providing coverage rather than frequency, particularly in outer suburbs.' In Brisbane, which is set to host the Summer Olympics in 2032, Ms More said she believed the near-free rides and the focus on switching commuters to public transport are crucial to improving the city's liveability. 'Brisbane wants to be a world city but we have to prioritise transport,' she said. 'The only way to be a proper city is to have good public transport.' - The Straits Times/ANN
