KUCHING: The Sarawak-Sabah Link Road and Pan Borneo Highway are among the central infrastructure projects that will need to be sped up to improve logistics and communications in the two states.
Economics professor Dr Geoffrey Williams of Malaysia University of Science and Technology said these projects would drive regional development and local economic growth, however, they also needed to be integrated with hubs such as airports, sea ports and major towns and cities.
For locations where these facilities had yet to exist, he said there should be new developments or upgrades to existing infrastructure at the strategic hubs.
“It’s also important to include technology infrastructure, such as 5G infrastructure and network,” he told New Sarawak Tribune.
“Besides, the two states also need to improve in terms of ease of doing business as well as the ‘look and feel’ of East Malaysia as host for investment, especially foreign investors. This means better governance, rule of law and addressing corruption.”
On Monday (Feb 28), Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah called for more infrastructure development to be accelerated in Sabah and Sarawak.
In his royal address at the opening of the First Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 14th Parliament, the Agong said this would enable Sabah and Sarawak to be transformed into the country’s new growth centres following the relocation of Indonesia’s capital to Kalimantan.
Prof Williams said there should also be investment in human capital, including education, healthcare and social infrastructures, to fully take advantage of the development or progress following the relocation of Indonesia’s capital.
He said among the developments (following the relocation) included foreign investment, more jobs and business opportunities for local supply-chain and suppliers.
“These will all have multiplier effects which will increase the impact of the initial investments. They will create new businesses and opportunities across a whole range of sectors, not just construction for example.
“We would also expect to see developments along the roads as previously isolated towns and villages become accessible. This is a lesson from the North-South Highway in the Peninsular, for example.”
Prof Williams said all these would make Sabah and Sarawak more viable as a business location and hub for the region.
“It would also help the two states to retain business that might otherwise relocate to Indonesia where there is a huge domestic market and increasingly easy business environment.”
