| By Rosli Abidin
Yahya
Malaysia is to proceed with the
initial plan to construct a road network that would link Sarawak
and Sabah without having to pass through Brunei Darussalam.
At present the feasibility
study is being carried out by the Malaysian Public Works
Ministry, the Malaysian Berita Harian reported yesterday.
The Borneo Bulletin reported
last November that Malaysia is planning to construct a
Limbang-Lawas Highway where Malaysian road travelers need not
pass through Brunei.
The construction of the bypass
road would enable Malaysian road travellers to go to Sabah or
Sarawak without having to pass through Brunei Darussalam.
The paper said the road may
pass through Mulu National Park as well as logging roads in Ulu
Baram that go to Lawas.
At present, Malaysian
travellers to Limbang and Lawas either fly from Miri or Labuan
or go by road through Brunei Darussalam.
Kota Kinabalu travellers to
Miri need to pass control posts at Merapok in Sabah, Lawas in
Sarawak, Labu and Puni in Temburong, Tedungan, Kuala Lurah and
Sungai Tujuh in Brunei and Baram in Sarawak.
The bypass road would have to
go round Brunei Darussalam, which nestles between Sarawak and
Sabah.
Limbang Division borders both
Brunei Darussalam and Sabah to the north.
The move to build such link
road by the Malaysian Government is seen to avoid future
misunderstandings such as caused by Miri lorry drivers passing
through Brunei on their way to Limbang and Lawas.
Brunei truck drivers have
complained in the past that some Miri truck drivers unloaded
their cargoes in Brunei which were meant for Limbang or Lawas.
This is done to avoid paying
taxes on certain products or to supply Bruneians with restricted
items.
Similarly Brunei road travelers
including truck drivers also have to go to Limbang on their way
to Temburong. Brunei also needs a link road to Temburong to
avoid Limbang.
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