KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Satta) wants the Federal Government to consider building a trans Sabah railway to connect major towns in the state.
Satta chairman Datuk Seri Winston Liaw said the state was in need of a moderate-speed railway of 150kph to link Kota Kinabalu, Kudat, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Tawau for tourism and logistics purposes.
"With heavy vehicles using the Pan Borneo Highway, there's a risk of damage to the highway soon due to overloading," he said.
Liaw said the railroad would ease traffic pressure on the highway and promote tourism development in the state's east coast, especially in light of rising airfares.
He expressed support for the proposed Trans Borneo Railway project, which aims to link Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan, calling it a significant development for the region.
Satta had previously advocated for a railway line connecting Kota Kinabalu, Kudat, Sandakan and Tawau, but the proposal was rejected by the government.
Liaw welcomed the new proposal to link Kota Kinabalu to Brunei, Kuching and Pontianak by rail, considering it a positive move.
The proposed Trans Borneo Railway, Liaw believed, would stimulate and boost tourism within Borneo Island, attracting more foreign tourists and doubling or even tripling their existing numbers.