6 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
RM1b allocated for 10 new Sabah-Kalimantan border crossings, says Saifuddin
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM1 billion has been allocated to open more than 10 new entry points along the Sabah-Kalimantan border with Indonesia.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the opening of the new border crossings between the two countries was expected to provide a clear picture on the future of people mobility, goods movement and economic spillover for both sides.
"We are now working towards opening new entry points that have already been identified through bilateral discussions.
"The current priority is the Serudong-Simanggaris route, which only requires a few more formalities to be finalised with the Indonesian side," he said at a press conference after attending the 2024 Intan Minister's Conversation (IMC) at the National Institute of Public Administration (Intan) here today.
Yesterday, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said two new border routes between Sabah and Kalimantan, Indonesia, would be constructed from Kalabakan to the Malaysia-Indonesia border in Simanggaris, and from Pagalungan town to Bantul border town in Pensiangan district.
He said the current status of the proposal was at on-site work stages, such as land surveying and procurement processes.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said detailed preparations were underway, including the construction of access roads and communication infrastructure.
"Without good communication coverage, how can Immigration Department operations run smoothly? The Home Ministry is responsible for completing the Immigration Department and Customs Department complexes at the designated entry points," he said.
The projects involved a border stretch of over 300 kilometres, with current access mainly through land routes, rivers and air travel.
