Statistics from the Malaysian Statistics Department indicated the population of Greater Kota Kinabalu (including Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Penampang, Putatan and Papar) in 2000 was 686,474.

"The total population in Kota Kinabalu's metropolitan areas and neighbouring towns have increased to 855,556 in 2010," he stated.

Based on the average population growth of 2.5 percent, it is estimated that Greater KK will have a population of about 1.1 million by 2020.

In a recent news report, dated 28 July, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Sabah chairman Ramli Amir said Sabah should consider building a new international airport before congestion becomes a serious problem at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA).

Below are some of the public comments on building a transportation hub, instead of expanding or relocating the airport.

Julian Keyworth For those agreeing on this development proposal, I say you are not thinking about current development disease in my perspective. Waste of funds. SG can maintain its Airport without the luxury of land and still the best in the world. Shame on us for not thinking smart enough. You want to make development please develop PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HUBS and routes.

Don't disturb KKIA. That ghost building at Low cost can be the TRANSPORTATION Hub and great for Tanjung Aru development. Developers need to be educated that property investment is not sustainable in the next 10 to 15 years hence stop building unnecessarily.

Mohd Kassim Hashim I would encourage the state to execute a major infra development, make sure it interlinks with currents transport system and spread it to the vast land of Sabah. I would propose to convert KKIA into a transportation hub. The reality is that there is a lot of interference of politics and what was proposed in the master plan; hence the dead spaces in KK. You are right in developing transportation hubs but we need to spread out because the land value in KK is becoming unrealistically high, hence the need to open up a new area with considering a self-sustaining economy to go along with it

Convert the current KKIA as a southern transport terminal into KK - BRT, MRT, ample raised public car park spaces.

Amos Yapp Why build a new airport since KKIA is still good enough to accommodate the people. They should build more flyovers in KK to overcome the traffic congestion.

Tww Wallace It would be best if someone can explain to me that building that is named KK Sentral next to Imago, is that really a bus hub?!?! So small. Bus mini yang van type boleh lah. Until today Imago, Riverson all up and running already, the bus hub still none in KK. That's, why people buy car coz public transport, is crap.

In December 2016, DBKK's Traffic and Public Transport Department director Kalvin Liaw said based on DBKK's public transport master plan, a Rapid Transit Bus (BRT) will be developed and the project implementation will be handled by Prasarana Malaysia Berhad.

The construction of the Southern Integrated Terminal near KKIA, he said, comprising the development of BRT services, would be carried out with the implementation of the BRT.

Through the BRT system, bus services will apply dedicated lanes and the first phase will operate from Selatan Terminal-City Centre-Inanam Terminal.

The project is expected to be completed and begin operating at least by 2022, he added in a news report to Astro Awani.

Apart from the BRT system, Kalvin also sees the need for plans towards creating a high capacity public transport such as the Light Rail Transit (LRT), Monorail or Tram in the city.