Sabah State Railway Department to implement 24 new projects in 2026
by Nancy Lai · Borneo Post OnlineKOTA KINABALU (Dec 17): The Sabah State Railway Department (JKNS) will implement eight ongoing projects and 24 new projects beginning next year.
This follows its placement under the Ministry of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, said Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick.
Ewon said the expansion of his ministry’s portfolio now includes JKNS, which will see a stronger focus on rail infrastructure development under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
“In line with the expansion of my ministry’s portfolio, the Sabah State Railway Department has also come under my ministry’s supervision. Next year, JKNS will focus on implementing eight ongoing projects and 24 new projects,” he said when winding up for his ministry at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) here.
He said the eight ongoing projects are expected to be completed in the second year of the 13MP and involves key initiatives, including slope and embankment repairs along the railway alignment between Beaufort and Tenom, the procurement of two Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) non-powered cars and one locomotive, as well as a feasibility study and preliminary design for the construction of a rail system linking Putatan to the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) and Sepanggar Port.
In addition, Ewon said a total of 39 new projects will be implemented throughout the 13MP from 2026 to 2030, covering major initiatives such as feasibility studies for an urban rail-based public transport system in Kota Kinabalu and its surrounding areas, the procurement of four non-powered cars (NPC), and various upgrading works for JKNS assets.
He said the state government has taken another strategic step of placing the Sabah Ports Authority under his ministry to ensure that port facilities develop in tandem with Sabah’s economic growth.
“With increasing investment growth in the state, our ports must be ready to support this expansion,” he said.
The ministry’s key focus for 2026 includes expediting the completion of the Sapangar Bay Container Port (SBCP) capacity expansion project, which is crucial in supporting the rising inflow of foreign direct investment into Sabah, he said.
The ministry will also identify interim solutions to address container congestion at SBCP while awaiting the completion of the expansion project, in addition to conducting continuous and comprehensive monitoring of all port operations statewide to ensure compliance, efficiency, and smooth operations.
Ewon added that the Sabah Ports and Wharves Department (JPDS), which is also under his ministry’s purview, plays a key role in regulating water traffic at ports, wharves, and rivers in Sabah, as well as issuing shipping licences for vessels below 15 net registered tonnes, in accordance with the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1960 and the Ports and Wharves Enactment 2002.
“With the commencement of the 13th Malaysia Plan in 2026, JPDS will implement several priority projects carried over from the 12th Malaysia Plan,” he said.
These include upgrading port facilities at the Menumbok Jetty Terminal area through the construction of a pontoon jetty and preliminary works for ferry ramp structures, the construction of a pontoon jetty in Karakit, the installation of a Vessel Traffic Monitoring System in Tawau, hydrographic surveys in Wallace Bay, and preliminary works for the construction of a ferry terminal between Pulau Bum Bum and Semporna.
In addition, JPDS will continue to carry out maintenance works on port facilities, including the upkeep of government assets such as government vessels, public wharves, and water traffic control facilities, he added.