Development Drive Transforms Life On Banggi Island

By Syed Iylia Hariz Al-Qadri Syed Izman

KUDAT, May 15 (Bernama) -- For years, residents on Banggi Island relied on diesel generators for electricity, and mobile phone or internet signals could only be found by climbing hills.

Located about 70km off Kudat in northern Sabah, the 621 sq km island is home to communities largely dependent on fishing, oil palm and rubber plantations for their livelihoods.

Its multicultural identity is reflected in the diverse ethnic groups living there, including the Ubian, Dusun Bonggi, Kegayan, Bajau Samah and Molbog communities.

Today, the island is steadily shedding its image as a remote outpost, with paved roads, ferry services, internet access, electricity and water supply gradually transforming daily life for its 30,000 residents.

A recent Bernama visit found that infrastructure upgrades have significantly improved connectivity, mobility, education and local economic activities on the island.

The federal government’s commitment to developing Banggi was reinforced during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent visit, when he announced more than RM31 million in allocations for roads, bridges, jetties, healthcare and security facilities.

For 35-year-old resident Nurhani Lim, the most noticeable changes have been better roads and improved communication access compared with her childhood years on the island.

The Kampung Laksian native recalled having to travel nearly an hour by small pump boat at the age of 13 just to attend school at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Banggi, located about 12.3km away, because there were no roads or vehicles connecting villages at the time.

“Life then and now is completely different. Back then, there were no roads, internet access was poor, electricity depended on generators, and we had to search for phone signals in higher areas,” she said.

Although internet connectivity and electricity stability still need improvement, Nurhani said the progress made so far has been meaningful for island residents.

Echoing her views, sundry shop owner, Ahmad Syukrie Abdul Rajik, 35, said development on the island was now clearly visible through improved roads, better organised sea transport and wider access to water, electricity and internet services.

“In the past, almost everything depended on sea conditions, and transportation was limited. Now, the movement of people and goods is much easier, but there is still room for improvement, so facilities here can truly match urban areas,” he said.

He added that a stable electricity supply had also changed the community’s way of life, replacing dependence on kerosene lamps and costly generators powered by petrol or diesel.

Another resident, Noratizah Ija, 38, said the growing number of vehicles on the island had made the need for a proper petrol station increasingly urgent.

She said residents currently relied on small fuel depots supplied periodically, but deliveries were inconsistent and often delayed.

“Sometimes supplies arrive once a week, sometimes we have to wait even longer. If it becomes urgent, villagers are forced to buy petrol sold in bottles in the villages, even though prices can reach RM7 per bottle,” she said.

Noratizah believes a proper fuel station would not only complete Banggi’s infrastructure development but also support its growing tourism potential as the island becomes increasingly accessible to outside visitors.

-- BERNAMA