East And West Malaysia Can Improve Interaction With Better Transport System

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EVERY Malaysia Day the people’s thoughts are about bringing East and West Malaysia together and how can we do it for greater interaction between the two separated parts of the country.

This year’s Malaysia Day is special due to the unique four-day holiday to celebrate the historical event. However, despite the long holidays not many people will be going in either direction to East Malaysia or Peninsular Malaysia.
One cannot expect the balik kampung–crowd-like movement across the South China Sea. For more meaningful interaction between East and West there needs to be more ways and modes of travel to the destinations.
It is time therefore to bring back the ferry service which was stopped decades ago. Since then much progress has happened as the country has economically developed and maritime technology has advanced as can be seen by the vast increase in cruise liners and coastal shipping worldwide.
The Feri Malaysia service connecting East and West Malaysia was halted in 1989 and has not been resumed. It is time to bring back the ferry service as it can serve as a vital link between East and West and can promote tourism and economic activities that will benefit both sides.
In recent years a lot of cruise liners have come into business due to the increase in tourism globally. The travel by sea in itself is a holiday due to the various facilities and sightseeing offered by cruise liners.
The government can consider whether a cruise liner or ferry service is better taking into consideration economic issues. It will be better if the ferry service can pay for its expenses without government subsidisation.
Maritime technology has advanced much in the last three decades since the ferry service was stopped and with better technology nowadays and lower operating costs this could mean that the service can be profitable.
Air travel from the Subang Airport should be greatly enhanced and there should be more daily flights. Most of the travellers to the East are from Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang which are nearer to the Subang Airport compared to KLIA.
A more convenient air travel will boost the number of passenger to Sabah and Sarawak and vice versa.
There has been much infrastructural development in Sabah and Sarawak in the last 15 years with the construction of highways bridges and roads to the interior of these two states.
Former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak was the prime mover for these major plans as he felt that the two states with tremendous potential had been left out without major funding for various projects that could ensure progress and become more equal to their peninsular counterparts.
The present Madani government has to continue these efforts to ensure that East and West Malaysia’s socio-economic development is more balanced.

More federal government investments and fundings through Budget 2026 should be allocated to ensure there are no ill-feelings between the people on both sides.
For long Sabahans and Sarawakians have felt that they have been exploited and overlooked in economic development.
Both the states were focused on timber and oil palm. More high tech industries need to be established to ensure that the educated youngsters can find gainful employment without having to come to the peninsula in search of work, and not be confined to agriculture-related jobs.
Presently, there is large-scale flooding in Sabah and the state and federal governments need to take into consideration climate change, which has be made worse by the large-scale clearings that have taken place over the decades.
Sabah is facing an election soon and more allocations could be in the offing. More funding to cope with the vagaries of the weather is needed in both states.
West Malaysians have a soft corner for Sabahans and Sarawakians, and appreciate and even envy their amicable diversity. They give real meaning to the ‘Unity In Diversity’ concept on which Malaysia is founded. Wishing all A Happy Malaysia Day!
V. Thomas is a Focus Malaysia viewer.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT. 
- Focus Malaysia.

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