Ensure Menumbok won’t become a ghost town
Published on: Tuesday, October 15, 2019
By: Sohan Das
LABUAN: The proposed Labuan-Menumbok bridge when completed would definitely brighten the outlook of Labuan “but it should not become a case where the lights get brighter here but gets dimmer for the coastal town of Menumbok.”
Activist Bryan Tan, former secretary of SAPP division here, said: “The bridge should ensure that Menumbok in not bypassed and turned into a ghost town. Planners should have measures in placed so that the livelihood of residents there would not be seriously affected by Labuan’s progress. The advocation of the new government is prosperity as such, Menumbok should also benefit.”
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Bryan (pic) said it vas a well-known fact that tens of hundreds in Menumbok rely on the transit of travellers at the ferry and boat jetties. When the bridge is ready what would be the fate of these living in Menumbok as well as the 100 fast boat operators, express buses and ferries crew.
“Menumbok is a fishing village. What has kept its economy vibrant was the passenger movements since Menumbok is the main entry and exit point into Sabah. Daily, hundreds pass through Menumbok and this aspect should not be overlooked,” pointed out Bryan.
He added that it was generally believed that the bridge would also help boost the economy of Menumbok and Kuala Penyu “but it remained unclear how could this be.
A further point is Labuan may also gradually lose its free port status when the bridge is ready even though this is denied by some local leaders.
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