June 23, 2009 21:54 PM

Indonesia To Chair BIMP-EAGA Transport Ministers Conference

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will hand over chair of the 4th BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia,-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area) Transport Ministers Conference to Indonesia when the event is held this Thursday in Menado, Indonesia.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri will make the handover to the new chairman, Indonesia's Transport Minister Jusman Syafil Djamal.

"The conference will provide an opportunity for the BIMP-EAGA countries to exchange views and information concerning the status of transport infrastructure facilities and progress in logistics services with the aim of streamlining cooperation," Rahim said before leaving for Menado Tuesday.

"It will also look into opportunities to step up transport integration in the region to promote economic growth and trade," he said.

Rahim said that cooperation in various areas involving air, land and sea transport was being undertaken.

He said an example in air transport was AirAsia launching the Kuala Lumpur-Menado, Kuala Lumpur-Makasar, Kuching-Jakarta and Kota Kinabalu-Jakarta services in the region.

The land transport sector has seen progress in bus services in the Pulau Borneo area while for the sea transport sector, there has been exchange of information on port development and shipping movement in BIMP-EAGA, he added.

Rahim also said that BIMP-EAGA has strengthened cooperation among Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Indoneia, helping to catalyse closer economic cooperation among Asean members.



-- BERNAMA

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