THE Trans-Borneo Railway project is still under feasibility study, with its first interim findings presented last month and the full report expected by June next year.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil said the feasibility study, led by the Ministry of Transport (MoT), began in June and had included two technical workshops with Sabah agencies to review early findings and coordinate planning.
He said a preliminary railway alignment had been proposed and would be refined as the study progressed.
“The study is also exploring the possibility of integrating the railway with the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) to ensure seamless connections between Trans-Borneo Railway services and local public transport.
“This integration is expected to improve accessibility within Greater Kuching and Kota Sentosa and enhance overall connectivity across the region,” he said when responding to Wilfred Yap (GPS–Kota Sentosa) in the DUN today.
Yap had asked about the current status of the proposed Trans-Borneo Railway, its potential alignment through Greater Kuching and Kota Sentosa, and its integration with KUTS.
Dr Jerip assured that ongoing efforts to improve public transport and traffic management in Kota Sentosa formed part of wider initiatives under the Greater Kuching development area.
He said KUTS Phase 1 covered Kuching and parts of Kota Sentosa and would introduce the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system alongside feeder bus services to strengthen last-mile connectivity.
He added that the Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) programme, branded as BAS.MY, already serves the area by providing affordable and reliable stage bus services.
“To improve traffic efficiency, my ministry is also implementing smart traffic light systems at critical and busy intersections.
“These systems will include Transit Signal Priority (TSP) features at intersections along the ART line, which will be centrally managed through an operations control centre to regulate traffic flow and ensure smoother movement of ART vehicles across the network,” he said.
