LABUAN: Labuan member of parliament Datuk Rozman Isli said that there was no other way to make this island more viable and vibrant other than by constructing the bridge to link this island with the mainland of Sabah.
In his speech before officiating the 2015 Teacher’s Day celebration on Saturday at the Convention Hall, Financial Park, Rozman said that he was already serving as member of parliament for two years and he did not wish to be labelled as a hasty leader by rejuvenating the critical issue of the bridge.
“Recently, when the Prime Minister tabled the 11th Malaysia Plan at the parliament, I did argue about Labuan-Sabah Bridge construction where I received ‘no’ response from them. I replied, if you cannot build the bridge, then give the project to private investors and let them do the rest.
“It is timely for me to voice up about the bridge issue, as I believe that this is the only way to make this island have better accessibility for growth. We will have our educational institutes here with malls for shopping heaven. These will attract more people to come to here,” he said, adding that he believed this island would become great someday.
Rozman recalled the history that Labuan was once under the Straits Settlement administration alongside with Singapore, Malacca and Penang under the British colonial rule where this island was considered as the least successful.
Therefore, he said that it was not easy for him to develop this island in term of tourism, but the possibility to succeed would become bigger with the bridge construction.