SEMPORNA, SABAH  Going downtown means taking two boats and a taxi, almost a daily routine for school teacher Indarukiah Subaiton, who lives on Pulau Omadal, near Pulau Bum-Bum. Like others living on islands off the Semporna coast, it's a three-stage journey just to run an errand. Indarukiah, 33, first hops on a boat to Gusung Melanta jetty on Pulau Bum-Bum, then takes a taxi ride to Balembang jetty on the other side of the island, from where she catches another boat to Semporna.

Sixth Form student, Nurmirah Waty Amirjal, 19, goes through the same ordeal.

Occasionally she is late to school and wet from the spray and rain, especially during the monsoon season.

A housewife, Liana Jamdi once witnessed a car from the mainland plunge into the sea when trying to disembark from two boats at Balembang jetty.

Liana, 34, of Pulau Bum-Bum, said it costs RM150 to RM250 to ferry a vehicle from the mainland to the island.

All that will soon be over, however. A bridge to the mainland has been promised, as part of the Federal Government's RM3 billion infrastructure allocation for Sabah, announced in the 2009 budget.

"We have been waiting for this good news for so long. We hope construction will begin soon," said Liana.

She said the bridge would allow islander students to live at home instead of staying at hostels on the mainland.

Semporna district officer A.M. Ibnu A.K. Baba said the bridge would improve the socio-economic status of the people in Semporna particularly those living on Pulau Bum-Bum.

He said the bridge would also hasten the development of Semporna as a marine resources and tourism hub as outlined in the Sabah Development Corridor blueprint.

The development plan for Semporna district may have to be redrawn to accommodate the proposed bridge.

"Earlier, we planned to construct a port at Kampung Selamat. Now, we might shift the port to Pulau Bum-Bum," he said.

"This will enable tourist ships to berth there and travel agents may shift their operations to Pulau Bum-Bum."

He said discussions would be held with the Sabah Economic Development Corporation on how to develop Pulau Bum-Bum and turn Semporna into a marine industry and tourism hub.

New Straits Times