KUCHING, Jan 27 — Any proposal to establish a third federal capital in Borneo must first address the fate of the long-alienated Bandar 2020 land, said Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The state minister of tourism, creative industry and performing arts said that further land acquisition would inevitably be involved, and Sarawak had already relinquished 2,020 hectares of prime land to the federal government during the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad administration for the unrealised project.

“It was meant to house federal administrative buildings along with accommodation for federal officers. However, nothing has happened on the 2,020 hectares of land,” he said during a press conference at Baitulmakmur 2 yesterday.

He was responding to Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail’s recent proposal of establishing a third capital in Borneo during the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s address at the Dewan Rakyat on Monday.

Abdul Karim said the undeveloped land should be returned to the state if it remains unused, as the 2,020-hectare site remains highly valuable as Kuching continues to expand.

“If they are not willing to develop the land that has already been given, then the right thing to do is return it to the state.”

He further questioned the need for another capital when Malaysia already has Kuala Lumpur as its national and commercial capital, and Putrajaya as its administrative capital.

“I don’t see the need for too many capitals for a nation. The economic growth in Sabah and Sarawak does not hinge on hosting a federal capital.

“Creating a third capital would involve further land acquisition and the conversion of state land into federal land, a move that I believe Sarawakians would oppose. Do we want another Labuan in Sarawak? I don’t think so,” he said.

He said that if the aim was to truly boost the economies of Sabah and Sarawak or drive development in rural and remote areas, there were far more practical ways to do so.

He pointed to long-standing issues such as inadequate rural infrastructure, dilapidated schools, hospitals and clinics, and stressed that these matters fell squarely under federal jurisdiction and should be prioritised before any grand new proposals are floated.

He added the proposal did not reflect federal policy and was raised by an individual, and that Sarawak had not been consulted on the matter. — The Borneo Post