S$10 million 'bridge-to-nowhere' in Sabah confounds M'sians

A politician said the shopping mall is responsible for building its own connection to the bridge.

Jean Chien Tay | September 08, 2021, 05:18 PM

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After passing through the hands of three administrations in four years, a "skybridge"  worth RM31.5 million (S$10.17 million) in the city centre of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah has finally been completed, Malaysian news outlet The Vibes reported.

However, in a now viral tweet, netizen Al-Rashid Zulkefli revealed that a bridge supposed to lead to Center Point Shopping Mall leads to a dead-end instead, according to The Rakyat Post.

"Skybridge (worth) RM31.5 million (S$10.17 million). To go to the mall, have to jump down from the bridge", the netizen tweeted.

Another netizen joked that the bridge was Sabah's version of Platform 3/4, the train platform hidden behind a wall at London's King's Cross station that takes students to Hogwarts school in the Harry Potter novels.

Initially scheduled to complete within six months

Construction of the "skybridge" first started in April 2017, and was scheduled to complete within six months, though the deadline was extended for another six months subsequently, Free Malaysia Today reported.

One year later, the developer reportedly became insolvent before the completion of the project, and the contractor halted works as it had not received payment.

Subsequently, Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor reportedly announced on Feb. 4 that the government had approved RM4.7 million (S$1.51 million) to complete the project.

Hajiji also reportedly expressed his wishes that the "skybridge" connecting shopping malls and commercial districts would be completed as soon as possible.

Mall to build its own connection to the bridge

According to The Borneo Post, the air-conditioned "skybridge" is equipped with escalators and an elevator for the disabled.

Meanwhile, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) vice president Gee Tien Siong reportedly said that the bridge did not exclude Center Point Shopping Mall, as the mall is responsible for constructing its own connection to the "skybridge".

Gee pointed out that the connection is expected to be done after the Covid-19 Movement Control Order (MCO).

Netizen: Hansard shows RM60 million earmarked for the project

In a subsequent tweet, the netizen Al-Rashid questioned the government's claims of the bridge costing RM31.5 million (S$10.17 million).

Posting screenshots which he claims are of the parliament hansard from November 2019, Al-Rashid said that the government had approved RM60 million (S$19.42 million) for the project, according to the hansard.

He further questioned the whereabouts of the remaining money, as the government had previously announced that the bridge cost RM31.5 million (S$10.17 million).

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Top image via @AlRashidZulkefl/Twitter & @DBKKtweet/TwitterÂ