Big role for Sapangar certain

Kota Kinabalu: The Sapangar Bay Container Port is on its way to realise its aspiration of becoming a transshipment hub of the east, resulting from Sabah's participation in the port alliance between China and Malaysia.Deputy Chief Minister cum Infrastructure Development Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the Government is currently waiting for minutes of the alliance's recent conference before deciding on how to conduct a meticulous follow-up on the matter.

"We attended the last conference and hope it will help in the progress of the ports in Sabah," he said after a courtesy call on him by Liang Caide, the Consul General of the Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu, Friday.

To a question on what will be the next step if Sapangar Port were to officially join the alliance, Pairin said they intend to introduce and acquaint with the influential members and big players of the alliance from China.

"We will discuss with the Transport Minister (Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai) so that we'll know who to approach, apart from the players who are already interested in what we have.

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"From there, we can co-ordinate all efforts to ensure our objective to develop Sapangar Port as a key transshipment hub will be realised as soon as possible," he added.

Through these connections, the move to develop the port will be clearer as to where they should go about from then on, he said.

"There is already an interested investor looking into developments for the port and now we just have to wait for the outcome of the conference with the alliance before making a follow-up with the Minister (Liow)," he said.

During the courtesy visit, the Consul General envisioned all the possible support China could offer to develop the State and Pairin agreed as the country is a huge platform, which has the expertise and experience to assist the development of Sabah.

He said the State has always maintained a good relationship with China even before the courtesy visit and "this visit will only strengthen the bond we have."

"A lot of the infrastructure development in Sarawak was supported by China whereas in Sabah we usually negotiated with the Federal Government through the Transport Ministry.

"The Ministry has helped us a great deal in bringing our Sapangar Port to greater heights and this proves how much importance we place on the port," he said.

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The development of the port will also rely on the role of BIMP-EAGA as the port is located at the centre of the region and would enable transhipment services for north Asian economic powers such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China.

With all these efforts, he envisioned a robust growth for the port. - Iffah Dilaney

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