KOTA KINABALU, Jan 3 ― The Sabah government has approved the reclamation on its prime Tanjung Aru beach front, although it has yet to approve any development plans as part of the controversial Tanjung Aru Eco Development (TAED) project.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor confirmed today that his administration has entered into a 15-year contract to mine and dredge sand for reclamation in order to widen the beach.
“We want to reclaim the beach, so we will propose the plans for discussion in the Cabinet. We will improve the beach and expand Prince Philip Park from 22 acres to 100 acres, if agreed by the government,” he said, referring to his own state administration.
Hajiji said that the sand dredging contract has been signed even though there have been no proposed plans.
“That is for sand supply and reclamation, but not development,” he said.
TAED was recently reported to have entered into a 15-year contract with Handal Borneo Resources Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Handal Energy for extraction and sales of marine sea sand.
According to the news reports, the concession is for the Sunken Barrier Shoal, Hayter Shoal and Bunbury Shoal concession areas, northwest of Kota Kinabalu city.
The contract, which took effect on December 19, 2022, will see some 153 million cubic metres of sand mined for bulk filling for reclamation projects and recreational beach.
TAED, a multi billion mixed development project has been controversial since it was mooted in 2016 by the then Barisan Nasional government.
Taking place in Kota Kinabalu’s famed Tanjung Aru, the project has over the years earned criticism for the lack of transparency, environmental considerations, and public stakeholders involvement.
Recent reports said that Sabahans were concerned and upset over TAED’s management of the area, claiming that they were cashing in on the location’s popularity by charging for parking and limiting access, but while not managing its upkeep, and turning into a wasteland.
Hajiji had previously said the project would be downscaled and public-centric, but had declined to reveal when the proposal would be made public.
