By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Feb 11: The Border Trade Agreement and Cross-Border Agreement between Malaysia and Indonesia will be finalised soon to facilitate cross-border activities, especially in Sarawak and Sabah.
Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof said that both Indonesia and Malaysia, in particular Sarawak and Sabah, are ready to sign the agreements.
“All parties have agreed in principle. This is to better develop the borders for the benefit of the people in both countries,” he said in a video recording posted on his social media today.
Fadillah, who is also Plantation and Commodities Minister, emphasised that a more human-centric approach in border development is crucial as Sarawak needs the manpower from Indonesia especially in the palm oil sector.
Furthermore, he mentioned that Sarawak is involved in various initiatives including currently exporting electricity generated from the hydroelectric dams to West Kalimantan.
“In addition, Sarawak is also involved in the building of a hydroelectric dam in East Kalimantan in which an agency from Sarawak (Sarawak Energy) has been entrusted (to carry out the project).
“We need to enhance collaboration as well as to ease and speed up the processes for entry of labour from Indonesia. This will help Sarawak because Indonesia has the best workers in the palm oil field,” he added.
Fadillah had on Feb 8 to 10 held a working visit to Indonesia where he met with Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto to discuss issues on palm oil and Indonesia’s Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan on the rubber sector.
During his working visit, various issues were deliberated and discussed including the need to overcome the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) rules which have put the palm oil industry in a risky position, as well as strengthening cooperation between Malaysia and Indonesia through the International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC) and the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT). — DayakDaily
