Kk Mayor Explains Missing Skybridge Link To Mall

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A notice posted by Kota Kinabalu City Hall explaining that the particular passage is incomplete because Centre Point Sabah shopping mall plans to construct its own connecting bridge to the Skybridge.KOTA KINABALU: The Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) has explained why the RM31.5 million KK Skybridge project is not connected to one of the oldest malls in the city.
Kota Kinabalu mayor Noorliza Awang Alip said the Centre Point Sabah shopping mall management wanted to construct its own connecting bridge and entrance within six months after the Skybridge was completed.
“The seventh entrance, to Centre Point, has not opened yet because the mall had expressed its desire, during the construction phase, to build its own bridge and entrance,” Noorliza said in a statement here.
She added Centre Point also pledged to bear the construction cost for the connecting bridge to the Skybridge.
Chief minister Hajiji Noor opened the Skybridge, which was initially funded by the Public Private Partnership Unit (Ukas) through a facilitation fund agreement, on Sept 3.
The Skybridge became the laughing stock on social media when it was found that the bridge was not connected to the mall.
Some also questioned the high amount allocated to build the facility when it was connected to the mall.
The agreement to build the Skybridge, involving the federal government, Malaysia Development Bank and developer Sunsea Development Sdn Bhd, was signed on Feb 9, 2017.
Noorliza said the developer managed to source the funds for the project through Ukas. However, in 2018, it was ordered to be wound up.
“This caused Ukas to cancel the facilitation fund. When this happened, the project was abandoned.
“For the sake of public welfare, DBKK took the initiative to apply for an allocation from the Sabah government to complete the project,” she said, adding the government subsequently agreed to allocate RM4.7 million for this purpose.
Noorliza said the state agreed on the allocation based on a 50-50 agreement between the state and federal government to complete the Skybridge.
She said the 400m bridge, which was fully opened to the public yesterday, was part of the city’s Skybridge Pedestrian Linkages and Traffic Improvement Works project.
The bridge at present links to other malls and commercial hubs in the area, such as the Api-Api Commercial Centre, Warisan Square Commercial Centre and Oceanus Waterfront mall, besides Centre Point.
The Skybridge is equipped with 20 air-conditioned retail kiosks, escalators and elevators that are friendly to persons with disabilities, and its construction also enabled upgrading work to be done to surrounding infrastructure.
Noorliza said rental forms for the business lots along the Skybridge would be distributed soon. - FMT

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