The federal government has channelled RM34.3 million to the Sepanggar Bay Container Port in Kota Kinabalu to improve its infrastructure facilities.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Mustapa Mohamed said the amount was part of the RM1.027 billion allocated by the federal government under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP).

He said the cost of the port development project will be finalised in the 12MP (to be tabled in January next year).

"Sabah aspires to attract more shipping lines to call at this (Sepanggar) port to enable it to become one of the transhipment centres in the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area) which definitely needs...