Decorative Picture
KOTA KINABALU: Final preparations are being carried for trial operations of the state capital’s first electric bus (e-bus) service initiated by Qhazanah Sabah Bhd (QSB), the Sabah government’s strategic investment arm.
QSB Chief Communications Officer Muhammad Khairulnizam Hasnan said the routes for the e-bus service were also being finalised.
“There’s a few other matters being ironed out as well with the various authorities before we can get this trial service rolled out,” he said.
“We are eager to get it going and the feedback we are getting is that KK folk too are looking forward to experiencing what the e-bus is all about,” Khairulnizam added.
He said Qhazanah was introducing the e-bus service as part of its contribution towards improving Kota Kinabalu’s public transport system.
“The e-bus makes sense because it is environmentally friendly and the use of electric powered vehicles is gaining momentum worldwide,” Khairulnizam said.
He said it was also for this reason that QSB had proposed the introduction of a rapid transit service in the form of a 25.5km skytrain service from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) to Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Alamesra.
“These are our input into transforming Kota Kinabalu’s public transport service for the benefit of Sabah as a whole,” Khairulnizam said.
“We realise this is a long-term effort and there is much to be done. We intend to do our part to help make it happen,” he added.
On Nov 29, QSB subsidiary WHSB Ventures Sdn Bhd (WVSB) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Vizinone Construction Sdn Bhd, Sycal Skycity Sdn Bhd and Guangcai China (M) Sdn Bhd the proposed multi-billion-ringgit project that included a 6.4ha mixed development along Tanjung Lipat at Likas.
WVSB explained later that the MoU was aimed at establishing a formal non-binding collaboration and cooperation related to the preparation and the implementation of the project pending final negotiations leading to a formal binding agreement between the parties. Khairulnizam said as stated by WVSB, the proposed project was still at its preliminary stages.
“Everything is still at an exploratory stage among the various signatories of the MoU,” he added.
He said state’s input would be the land required for the proposed project while the funding would come from various investors.
“Like other projects involving the state, representatives of various authorities and stakeholders would be involved in the decision-making process to ensure Sabah’s interests are safeguarded,” Khairulnizam said.
