Nabawan: Several remote villages in Sabah's Nabawan district, including Kampung Saliliran and Kampung Kabu, have remained without proper road access since Malaysia gained independence, the Sabah State Assembly was told today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohamed Yassin (GRS-Nabawan) stated that residents must travel through neighboring villages to reach these settlements, which limits their mobility and impacts their daily lives. He urged the state government to construct at least motorcycle tracks to enhance accessibility, proposing a 10-kilometre route from Kampung Sinapar to Kampung Saliliran and another 20-kilometre route linking Kampung Saliliran to Kampung Baru.

Abdul Ghani expressed his hope that the issue would receive attention and consideration, emphasizing the importance of approving and implementing the proposal through the Supplementary Supply Bill. He highlighted that this initiative is crucial for his constituency's residents, who have long awaited improvements in road access.

Nabawan, situated approximately 180 kilometres south of Kota Kinabalu, is one of the interior districts of Sabah. Abdul Ghani also called for increased allocations for maintaining rivers, tributaries, former logging roads, and agricultural roads in Nabawan, many of which suffer damage during the rainy season. This poor infrastructure condition complicates the transportation of agricultural produce to markets.

Furthermore, Abdul Ghani brought attention to delays in the Sungai Pancuran Bridge and Jalan Kraftangan Bridge projects, both vital access routes to Nabawan town. He explained that the Sungai Pancuran Bridge project had previously faced setbacks due to insufficient funding for utility relocation, while construction of the Jalan Kraftangan Bridge has been progressing slowly. He emphasized that these projects are essential for improving connectivity, stimulating economic activities, and facilitating education and government services delivery in the region.