KOTA KINABALU: The armed intrusion by a band of Sulu gunmen last month might have been averted had the government built a bridge to link Bum Bum Island to Semporna on the mainland way back in 2006, according to a local environmental activist and consultant.
The island provides an ideal and strategic site for security purposes like the training centre and depot for the police and military forces, as well as a strategic development of maritime enforcement and naval sub-bases, said Dr CY Vun.
“All these defence assets would strengthen the security and ensure constant surveillance and patrolling along the Malaysian territorial waters in the the east coast region, he said, adding that had government built the bridge on schedule in 2006, the recent terrorists intrusion on Dravel Bay should not have happened,” he said.
The construction of the proposed RM430 million Semporna-Bum Bum Bridge was among RM15 billion worth of projects announced by then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in July 2006 for implementation under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), Vun said.
The 1.4km bridge was approved after a proposal for the project was submitted by a local company to the Government sometime in 2005, he said.
He said his consultant firm, Systematic Environment Consult-JV, had been engaged by the company and conducted a feasibility study of the project from 2004 to 2005.
He said he forwarded a preliminary proposal and economic briefs for the development of the bridge and the area to the company which then submitted it to the Federal Government in 2005.
Vun recounted that on July 17, 2006, former prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi when announcing the Bum Bum Bridge project had directed the entire government machinery to ensure that all development projects approved under the 9MP were implemented quickly so that the people could benefit from them as desired by the Government.
He said even details of the tenders were advertised in the local papers as well as on the websites of the Government, including the Works Ministry and the Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia.
Nevertheless, the projects including the bridge did not take off, and it was only after six years later in February last year, the Works Ministry announced that the Federal Finance Ministry had approved the project costing RM430 million.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor who made the announcement during a site inspection of the Jalan Sapulut-Kalabakan road upgrading project in Tawau stated that the design of the bridge was expected to be completed within one year and RM25 million had been issued for the preliminary design of the project.
In this regard, Vun who is also the environmental head of PKR Kota Kinabalu division reckoned the project should be treated with a great sense of expediency and priority as there is still no sign of it for implementation.
Apart from the enhancement of security on the east coast region, Vun said other advantages of having Bum Bum Bridge built is that it will spur the growth of various economic activities in the area, particularly the development of the tourism and fishing industries, better infrastructure, public amenities and facilities that will improve the standard of living and quality of life of the people there.
“The existing infrastructures and amenities on the islands are still poor and inadequate. Thus, the construction of a bridge to link Bum Bum to Semporna on the mainland will certainly transform the socio-economics pattern of the district, and regional security implementation.
“The availability of transportation facilities can strongly influence the growth and development of the island and the mainland. It also permits the sepcialisation of industry or commerce, and reduce costs for raw materials and manufactured goods.
“Good transportation is also a necessary element of government services such as delivering mail, defending the nation, and retaining control of its territories as well as other security purposes,” said Vun.
He added that traditional fishing is important in the lives of the majority of the populations of Bum Bum island and coastal areas of Semporna district, and the industry directly supports an estimated 60 per cent of the population.
But he cautioned that fishing is frequently a dangerous occupation especially in this area whereby local fishermen are constantly expose to external threats such as pirate attacks and robbery in the high seas, and the recent intrusion by the so-called royal army of the Sulu Sutanate.
Explaining further on the outcome of the fesiability study of the proposed Bum Bum Bridge, Vun said that the 5,500 hectares Bum Bum island is about two-third the size of the Federal Territory of Labuan.