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Kota Kinabalu: The Federal Government allocated RM1.3 million to repair and upgrade Kota Kinabalu Port, strengthening maritime connectivity between Sabah and Labuan.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said Sabah and Labuan form a mutually reinforcing Borneo ecosystem. 

The port upgrade funding represents the Government’s commitment to ensuring infrastructure gaps do not hinder public convenience. With the improvements, travel time between Kota Kinabalu and Labuan will be reduced to approximately three hours.

She also revealed impressive passenger traffic statistics for the route between Labuan and Sabah, covering areas including Menumbok and Sipitang. In 2024 alone, more than 400,000 journeys were recorded for various purposes.

“In just first four months this year, we recorded 145,000 journeys. With the launch of this new route, we project the annual total to increase to 500,000 journeys,” she said.

The increased connectivity is expected to revitalise coastal economies, particularly benefiting food, transportation, accommodation and retail sectors across both strategic locations.