Masing (front second right) arrives at the BIMP-EAGA gala dinner together with Liow (behind Masing).
KUCHING: Connectivity is the most critical element of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area’s (BIMP-EAGA) development and should remain high as a priority beyond 2016.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem said connectivity should not only include road, rail, air and sea linkages, but also linkages within and outside the sub-region such as institutional mechanisms to facilitate the movement of people and goods – thus enhancing trade, investment and tourism.
“In our effort to promote connectivity, a mammoth project to construct the Pan Borneo Highway was officially launched by our Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) on March 31 last year. It is designed to accelerate the social and economic growth of Sabah and Sarawak,” said Adenan, in a speech read by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing at the 11th BIMP-EAGA Transport Ministers Meeting gala dinner on Monday.
Adenan said the Pan Borneo Highway is scheduled for completion in five to six years’ time and will stretch from Telok Melano to Merapok in Sarawak and from Sindumin to Tawau in Sabah, spanning a total distance of 2,325km.
“To promote connectivity, it is important to have enhanced physical infrastructure, especially the transportation networks which will provide convenience and seamless travel for both goods and movement of people. Connectivity will help stimulate economic growth and regional development, which will then contribute to the improvement of intra-regional trade within this sub-region,” he said.
Adenan pointed out that Sarawak supports BIMP-EAGA’s current initiatives and projects.
“We look forward to a closer cooperation and collaboration between the public-private partnerships and to the investment profiling in BIMP-EAGA’s Economic Corridors, which will identify investment opportunities and provide information to potential investors,” he added.
Among those present were Minister of Transport Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Brunei Communications Minister Datuk Paduka Awang Mustappa Sirat, Philippines Transport undersecretary Felipe A Judan, Indonesian Transportation Ministry secretary-general Sugihardjo, and Ministry of Transport secretary-general Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim.