Blueprint to make Labuan smart, sustainable island city

LABUAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak is scheduled to launch on Thursday the Labuan Development Blueprint that is designed to turn the duty-free island into a smart and sustainable island city.
The blueprint, regarded as the pillar of the island's economic development, is set to unleash the energies of its people to grow an inclusive economy and build capabilities, with a vision and special goals to be achieved by 2030, said Labuan Corporation chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad.
In an interview with Bernama, he said the development plan was the product of numerous inputs from various government agencies, chambers of commerce, non-governmental organisations, political and community leaders, and people from all walks of life.
Azhar said the blueprint, initiated in 2015, would focus on two critical areas of economic and physical development, which were the main ingredients of transforming the island's economic landscape.
"We need to transform the domestic economy and focus efforts to build the capabilities of both the island and the people.
"The blueprint provides a framework for short-term, medium-term and long-term development plans up to 2030 that will propel Labuan into Malaysia's top economy or at least a comparable economy.
"We are optimistic the blueprint, which focuses on integrated development that includes various income-generating sectors, will help stimulate economic activities, promote economic growth and development and lure investments," he said.
Azhar explained that the financial and oil and gas sectors continued to provide the economic fundamentals to drive the island's economy.
"We have existing facilities and financial laws and incentives for us to continue to depend on the two sectors for the island's future and we remain upbeat that the oil and gas sector will recover and be back on track," he said.
Referring to projects, Azhar said these included the Labuan bridge that would link the island to mainland Sabah, a number of coastal tourism development projects such as a waterfront esplanade, hotels and resorts.
"We are also focusing on extreme water sports or the Labuan Grand Prix of the Sea, and motorcycle races, for which the areas have been identified," he said.
Azhar said the government alone could not provide a decent standard of living; it required determined and measurable actions from all social actors and partners across all sectors of society.
"The blueprint must be implemented in the correct order for the achievement of Vision 2030 to become a reality.
"The blueprint calls on the people of Labuan from all walks of life to join forces, uniting all energies towards the implementation of this plan. This is our plan, our future. Let's make it work," he said. — Bernama