Ministry proposes special committee for economic development at national borders

To present a comprehensive and holistic plan for developing commercial activities at the national borders, it was proposed that a special committee comprising members of four ministries be set up. 

Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub said apart from the ministry, the other ministries are the finance ministry, economy ministry and investment, trade and industry ministry.

Salahuddin said he sees great economic potential at the Sabah and Sarawak borders, especially with Brunei and Indonesia, which is expected to produce worthwhile returns to the people and the country.

"We have to be prepared especially when Nusantara is being developed. As Indonesia takes off to improve its economy, we in Sabah and Sarawak must not be left behind.

"The domestic trade and cost of living ministry takes full responsibility on how we are going to commercialise this border area, and we must achieve a win-win situation so that local goods can be bought (by foreigners) without subsidies while smuggling activities are minimised," he said when briefing on the construction of non-subsidised fuel stations at border towns in the Dewan Negara today.
 
Salahuddin said that great economic growth potential could be seen at the borders when recently 150 metric tons of non-subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were delivered by the country in the Malaysia-Brunei Border Economic Rahmah Mission.

"I see that with Indonesia and Brunei, there will be more cross-border commercial activities involving other goods apart from LPG," he said.

He said the fuel station pilot project in Padang Besar and Wang Kelian, Perlis, has helped to save almost RM6 million in the government's fuel subsidy allocation.

As such, he hoped that the proposal for the set up of the special committee which would be tabled to the Cabinet would be able to develop economic development programmes with a whole nation approach, to protect the country's wealth.