Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (March 1): The government plans to build two new Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complexes in Sabah to strengthen border control in view of the impending relocation of Indonesia’s capital city to Nusantara in East Kalimantan.

One of the ICQS complexes will be built in Serudong, Kalabakan at an estimated cost of RM819 million, which include living quarters and upgrading works for roads leading to the complex itself, said Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.

The other ICQS complex will be set up in Bantul, Pagalungan at an estimated cost of RM367 million, Rafizi said in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (March 1).

“Negotiation and studies are still in progress between the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Home Affairs, for us to determine the appropriate infrastructure, whether we need a full fledge ICQS or just a border control post,” he said.

Rafizi said the ICQS complexes were among the planned developments slated to be implemented under Rolling Plan 4 (2024) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021-2025), to enhance the Sabah-Kalimantan border control.

Other projects along the border include the construction of an immigration post at Long Pasia, at an estimated cost of RM25 million, he said.

“Security posts that will be upgraded are the Pagalungan Immigration Control Post at Nabawan, costing RM4 million, followed by a security post at Aji Kuning on Sebatik Island...at an estimated cost of RM5 million.

“We hope that these infrastructures will allow us to tap into the spillover effect of the economic development along the Sabah border when Indonesia’s capital Nusantara starts functioning,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rafizi said the government had allocated RM5.68 billion last year for 1,142 infrastructure development projects in Sabah.

Some of the ongoing projects include the development of security posts worth RM2 million, RM13 million of initial works and design for new roads from Kalabakan to Simanggaris along the Malaysia-Indonesia border, and a road from Pagalungan town to the border of Bantul town in Pensiangan at a cost of RM252 million, said the minister.

Rafizi was responding to Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy (BN-Kalabakan), who asked the government to state its strategic plan that ensures Sabah benefits from the economic growth arising from the relocation of Indonesia's capital.

For more Parliament stories, click here.

Edited ByS Kanagaraju
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