“The people of Labuan deserve better but the absentee decision-makers in Putrajaya are squatting on them. They are insincere.”

This is the first time that Harris, who lost the 1985 state election over the surrender of Labuan among others, has publicly and openly called for the return of the island to the Sabah Government. “The Federal Government’s interest in Labuan has been declining over the decades,” added Harris. “I have been watching this with great dismay. I expected the Federal Government to look after Labuan in a fitting manner and not abandon it for whatever reasons.”

If Putrajaya was not prepared to change directions on the future of Labuan, pleaded the former Chief Minister, “I would like to appeal for the island to be returned to Sabah. But Labuan deserves a parting ‘ang pow’, at least RM1 billion. RM1 billion is less than one per cent of what the Federal Government takes out from the oil and gas industries in Labuan.”

“What’s there for Labuan as a Federal Territory? There’s no future. The Federal Government isn’t interested in the island.”

Harris has detailed a long list of grievances where Putrajaya had failed the people of Labuan.

For starters, he added, the Federal Government had failed to develop the oil and gas industry on the island and now it appears to be too late since Brunei and China had taken the lead in the South China Sea region. “China has developed enough land in the Spratly Islands to host oil and gas industries. It would ignore the US and go ahead because it’s economically and militarily strong.”

Brunei, he said, had entered into a USD25 billion oil and gas deal with China on Pulau Muara Besar, just 25 km from Labuan. “In fact, Labuan was first when it proposed a similar oil and gas deal on Pulau Kuraman which has deep water facilities.”

“Instead, the Federal Government went ahead with Pulau Daat where there’s no deep water facilties. This project, launched by the Prime Minister himself, is a failure.”

Likewise, the Federal Government wants to develop a new RM200 million Ferry Terminal between Kampung Karumpang and Tanjung Aru, an area unsuitable for this purpose but could be developed into a new commercial, tourism and residential centre. “The present commercial centre in Labuan is too crowded. Ferry services are outdated as transportation.”

Harris expects only the ferry services to Sipitang, Lawas and Limbang to remain once the proposed RM5 billion Labuan to Menumbuk Bridge was built. “The Labuan Bridge will only be built if there’s a change of government in Putrajaya. The Barisan Nasional (BN) would not do it.”

The former Chief Minister would also like to see a RM200 million fishing village developed in Kiansam to accommodate the present four fishing villages in the Patau Patau and nearby areas. “Kiansam is only 10 minutes from the Airport and Labuan town.”

“Instead, Labuan basically remains a fishing village as the four fishing villages are right in the heart of town.”