 |
| Industrial Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan |
BALIKPAPAN: East Kalimantan, Indonesia and Sabah as well as other areas within the BIMP-EAGA should work closely together and find common solutions to face serious economic challenges in view of prevailing weak global economic conditions.
"We are so close to each other. It is imperative that we integrate and
consolidate our production and marketing strategies. I am here to
explore such possibilities," Industrial Development Minister Datuk
Raymond Tan told Balikpapan Mayor Rizal Effendi. Tan called on Rizal
Saturday to discuss and explore a number of areas on which closer
business and industrial actions could be forged between East Kalimantan
and Sabah.
During the discussions, Tan found many areas of development in East
Kalimantan that were experiencing a similar situation in Sabah, namely
the development of port facilities and activities related to the oil and
gas industry.
"One of the top priorities of BIMP-EAGA is to improve connectivity and I
see from our discussion here today that there are specific areas
whereby this improvement could be made," said Tan.
Both Tan and Rizal agreed, for instance, that airlines operating in this
Borneo region should seriously consider re-establishing direct air
links between the cities of Kota Kinabalu with Balikpapan, the second
largest city in East Kalimantan.
Tan, who is here on a two-day visit, also assured that his ministry
would take this matter up and make a formal appeal to the airlines
concerned for their attention.
"We shall show the potentials of air travel volume for such a direct air link once it is in place, not only for tourism but for education, specialist medical care that is now available in the capital of Sabah and other purposes," he stressed.
Rizal said he supported the idea of direct air connectivity between the
two Borneo cities and agreed to provide the necessary inputs from
Balikpapan's point of view on the matter.
Later, the Sabah delegation toured the Balikpapan Port Authority where
they were given an opportunity to study how operations at the port and
the shipment of products were being managed.
The Sabah visitors were briefed at the port by Alex Hironimus, the ship
service manager, who disclosed that like Kota Kinabalu, Balikpapan has
developed a new container terminal about 27km away from the Balikpapan
City centre.
Known as the Kariangau Container Terminal, it occupies 72.5 hectares
with a capacity of 250,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
Shortly upon arrival here on Thursday, Tan also toured the Indonesia Oil
and Gas Expo (IGEX) 2012 held at the International Sports and
Convention Centre (Dome) organised by PT Fireworks Indonesia with over
100 exhibitors.
Among several Malaysian pavilions he visited were that of Tekno Logam
Sdn Bhd, a manufacturer of gaskets and seals and a supplier of fluid
sealing products for industries, in particular O&G and power
generation.
On hand to accompany him on the tour of Malaysian booths was Nadzri
Shamsudin, Trade Commissioner of Jakarta-based Malaysian External Trade
Development Corporation (Matrade), the agency that facilitated Malaysian
participation at the IGEX.
Speaking to a reporter of a local TV station, Tan stressed that his
mission here was to promote closer trade and industrial links and
cooperation within the Borneo provinces and states, like East Kalimantan
and Sabah, in the context of BIMP-EAGA.
"It is my hope that industrialists here in East Kalimantan and
Balikpapan will take a serious look at investment prospects in Sabah
that is not far away from here," he said.
There were many avenues open for industrial joint ventures and
collaboration between the State of Sabah and East Kalimantan, especially
in the oil and gas industry, he added.
Among the officials accompanying Tan on his visit here were Haji Abdul
Kadir, Chief Executive Officer of the Sipitang Oil & Gas Industrial
Park (Sogip); Datuk Dr Pang Teck Wai, CEO of POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd; Dr
Tarsiah T Z Taman, CEO of KKIP Sdn Bhd, and Harry Sow, Chief Operating
Officer, KKIP project, Tan Chong Group.
Taken from:
0 comments:
Post a Comment