Accord set to boost growth in East Asean area

Kota Kinabalu: Things are looking bright for the BIMP-EAGA initiative with a peace accord due in southern Philippines.

The Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area could play a major role in the blueprint for the Bangsamoro establishment.

Trouble in southern Philippines has long been a stumbling block in the initiative, which was launched in 1994, and despite some progress since then, the ambitious plan to be an economic force in the region has yet to reach its full potential.

When Philippine president Benigno S. Aquino III and Moro Islamic Liberation Front leader Al Haj Murad Ibrahim sign the accord on Monday, to be witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, it could set the pace for realisation of the BIMP-EAGA dream.

MILF political affairs chief Ghadzali Jaafar recently said the accord could at least stop people from leaving southern Philippines and help in the transformation process to develop the Bangsamoro as a replacement for the failed Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao "experiment".

Tanjung Kapor assemblyman Datuk Teo Chee Kang said this was where BIMP-EAGA could come into play with the many plans it had rolled out.

"In Kudat, for instance, there is a plan to introduce a ferry service linking the district to Brooke's Point on the island of Palawan in the Philippines."

He said those plans are now in the final stages to start the roll on-roll off ferry service.

"With the peace accord in play, this augurs well for the service to flourish."

Sandakan-based businessman Datuk Albert Lim revealed another effort to harness the BIMP-EAGA potental through the Sandakan-Zamboanga Business Council which was introduced more than 10 years ago.

"Trade has always been active between the two ports from the past and maybe the peace accord could spur more activities in the future."

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Palawan and Balikpapan next on MASWings' list

Published on: Thursday, May 10, 2012

Kota Kinabalu: MASwings plans to fly two new routes, namely Kota Kinabalu-Puerto Princessa, Palawan and Kuching-Balikpapan, under its second phase of expansion to the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines-East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) region.

This is apart from upgrading the existing Tawau-Tarakan thrice-weekly flight services to daily services effective July 1 and introducing a Coral Triangle Charter Flight for divers to world-class dive spots in the State, Philippines and Indonesia within the Coral Triangle (Celebes Sea).

These follow the encouraging response received from its first three destinations in BIMP-EAGA, namely Tawau-Tarakan, Kuching-Pontianak and Kota Kinabalu-Bandar Seri Bengawan, where altogether it has recorded a load factor average of 60-65 per cent. Its CEO Datuk Captain Mohd Nawawi Haji Awang, who announced this, said they expect to start flying the new Kuching-Balikpapan route, which would be thrice weekly, by the end of October.

"We are in the process of seeking approvals and clearances from the Philippine Government for the KK-Puerto Princessa route Éif everything goes well, we plan to start this new route by the end of October," he said, adding they are all very excited with these new developments.

They are also looking at aircraft utilisation aspects and adjusting timing and so on in preparing for the changes to the Tawau-Tarakan flight service schedules. The company might also increase the number of its aircraft if the need arises.

Mohd Nawawi said this at a press conference in conjunction with the MASwings BIMP-EAGA Golf Challenge 2012 at the MAS administration building in Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), Wednesday.

 Read More : http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=81455

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