Sabah today made history when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched the RM12.86 billion Sabah Pan Borneo Highway mega project in Kampung Andus here.

About 20,000 people were present to witness the launch which was also attended by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

The total stretch of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project is 1,236 kilometres starting from Sindumin to Tawau, Tamparuli to Ranau and spanning over Kimanis-Keningau-Tawau.

At the event, Najib also held a 15-minute video conferencing with the people of Tawau district, Sandakan, Keningau and Kudat which was respectively headed by Sandakan UMNO veteran Tan Sri Ampong Puyon, Tanjung Batu assemblyman Datuk Hamisa Samat, Keningau district officer Yusof Osman and Kudat district officer Sapdin Ibrahim.

The video conference was held to enable the people in each area to express their appreciation to the government on its initiative to build the highway, which will be the network connecting them with other cities and districts.

They also expressed the hope that the construction of the highway will boost economic growth, thereby increasing income of residents in each area.