KOTA KINABALU: A shopping mall had clarified the issue surrounding the controversial skybridge connecting to its building.

Centre Point Sabah Shopping Mall management corporation president Megan Liu, in a circulated letter meant for business onwers, had said that the mall had allocated own budget this year for its part for the million-ringgit 400-metre struture.

“Centre Point was not included in the sky bridge building project initially until the construction of the sky bridge pillar was fixed in front of the mall.

“Taking this into consideration, the Management has taken the initiative to work with DBKK for this project at our own costs which other malls do not need to bear,” she said, adding, however, it was difficult to outsource the project to contractor since the first nationwide lockdown on March 18 last year.

She added that the pandemic had also affected our business operators with lower sales.

“Since then, the Management has decided to give service charge rebates in total of RM1,435,974.19 this year to all owners in order to ease their cash flow burden.

“We understand that the impacts from pandemic have caused great loss of income to all businesses, hence the Management prefers to prioritize in taking care of our business operator and to help their businesses to stay operating.

“As such, the allocated fund to link the sky bridge to Centre Point Sabah has been utilized for this purpose.”

Liu added that as the pandemic has hit the tourism industry as well, she said the sky bridge link to their mall would not be in much help to their businesses operators.

“If we continue to do the project this year, we may not be able to give service charge rebate anymore if there is another lockdown before year end.

“Therefore, the Management propose to hold this project until next year.”

The circular had also asked for feedbacks from the tenants by Sept 13 whether they agree to postpone the construction to next year.