BIMP-EAGA stakeholders welcome Kudat-Palawan sea route
KOTA KINABALU: Industry players from Brunei-Indonesia Malaysia-Philippines East A sean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) hail the commitment of Putrajaya to issue ferry permit to pave way for the operation of Kudat-Palawan new sea route.
The stakeholders of the regional grouping said the recent announcement of Malaysia Transport Minister was timely and beneficial to all membercountries particularly people of Kudat in Sabah and Palawan Province, Philippines.
On Thursday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said he supported the initiative to issue an international ferry permit for the Kudat-Palawan route to boost the tourism and other sectors in the district and Sabah in totality.
He said the proposal by Kudat Member of Parliament Datuk Verdon Bahanda should be realised to enhance socioeconomic development in Kudat.
“Verdon proposed in the Dewan Rakyat last year (the establishment of) a sea link between Kudat and Palawan, following which discussions on how to realise this matter were held . Actually, I did not know where Palawan is located but after the question was raised, I started studying the matter,” the minister said at the launch of the MyLesen 2024 programme for the Kudat parliamentary constituency Thursday.
Loke said the ferry proposal would give a major boost to Sabah’s economic development.
“To realise this proposal, there are many matters for us to consider, including the aspects of security, economy and sea routes …. I think all these are positive factors for us to jointly develop Kudat as an important gateway to Sabah and Malaysia,” he said, adding he supports what has been mooted and will play his part to help realise this potential.
Reacting to the minister’s intention, Sabah Cross Border Trade Association (SCBTA) president Razanah Paimin described Putrajaya’s initiative as a “big relief and a thorn removed from the back of the industrial players apart from a timely move.”
“Timely because Malaysia and the other neighbouring countries are still in the infant stage of recovering from the negative domino effects of Covid pandemic,” she said.
She added the opening of the new sea route will allow convenient and easy movement of goods and people of both borders.
“Yes, surely the realisation of the ferry operation will further boost economic trade activities and improve the living standard of Malaysians and Filipinos,” she added.
Razanah said the business communities in Sabah and Palawan are anxious to see the opening of the sea route.
In fact, she said the issue of reviving the Puerto Princesa-Kota Kinabalu direct flight and opening of the Kudat-Bululuyan (Palawan) sea route was lengthly discussed during the 4th PEDCO Palawan Business and Tourism Forum last week in Puerto Princesa.
Razanah also expressed optimism that the tourism, agriculture, maritime, construction and commercial trading including barter trade will surely benefit from the KudatPalawan ferry operation.
BIMP-EAGA Business Council Kudat (BEBC-Kudat) chairman Datuk James Lim said the issuance of ferry permit for the operation of ferry services and eventual opening of the new sea connectivity route is much appreciated and beneficial to the local business community and locals as a whole.
“Thank you Mr Minister…your bold move is appreciated not only from me but also the local populace of Kudat and definitely from the people of Palawan and their provincial and city administrations,” James said, adding he is now looking forward to witness another maiden voyage from the Philippines.
The Kudat community leader also suggested to Loke to ease transportation requirements imposed on operators/companies when applying for permits.
This measure, he said, will make things easier for the applicants and avoid unnecessary delay on scheduled or targeted business commencement dates.
“I am very happy that my dream to see the connectivity between Kudat and Palawan is now nearing to reality”.
Last September, Sabah welcomed the official arrival of the maiden voyage of M/V Princess Khalil (Tawi-Tawi) signifying the opening of the Bongao-Lahad Datu new sea connectivity project.
Also in November, another new sea connectivity route (Lahad Datu-W. Sulawesi) was opened following the arrival of the maiden voyage of M/V Cathleya from W. Sulawesi.
BEBC Sabah chairman Dr Raymond Alfred also thanked Loke for the noble initiative.
He said opening Kudat to businessmen from the neighbouring Palawan will surely level up the economic activities and revenues of the district in the near future.
“Let’s not forget that the local populace of Kudat will also benefit in terms of improved cash earnings, opportunities, and cheaper prices of goods coming from neighbouring countries like Palawan,” Raymond said, adding that the tourism sector is not excluded from the positive domino economic effects.
In a similar note of appreciation, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) country director Redentor ‘Popoy’ Laudin thanked Loke for taking the bold step in supporting the much awaited issuance of ferry permit.
He strongly agreed with the minister and the majority of the BIMP-EAGA industry stakeholders that the new sea connectivity route will help prosper socio-economic activities in the region as well as improve the living standard of people.
However, Popoy hoped the minister will also study on the possibility of scrapping pilot and anchorage fees/charges currently imposed on traders/businessmen entering ports in Sabah.
“The charges are a financial burden to the parties concerned … issue us special permit whenever we (BIMP-EAGA members) come to Sabah to buy goods,” he added.