Latest news with #BIMP-EAGA
Barnama
8 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) And BIMP–EAGA Business Council (BEBC) Formalise Strategic Partnership To Boost Logistics Productivity
MIRI, June 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) and BIMP–EAGA Business Council (BEBC) have officially signed a Letter of Collaboration, marking a pivotal step toward enhancing productivity and efficiency in the logistics sector. The partnership focuses on strengthening cross-border trade and connectivity between Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) and Brunei. The collaboration signing ceremony was held in Miri, Sarawak, with YBhg. Datuk Zahid Ismail, Director General of MPC, and YBhg. Pengiran (Dr.) Haji Haris Pg Haji Duraman, Chairman of BEBC, representing their respective organisations. Both parties share a unified vision to future-proof the logistics industry by implementing targeted programmes that address key challenges and streamline operations to reduce costs. Representing BEBC Brunei as Country Directors, Thomas Koh and Haji Alimen Haji Jaafar were present to witness the signing demonstrating BEBC Brunei's active and direct involvement in driving cross-border connectivity efforts among Brunei, Sabah, and Sarawak under the BIMP-EAGA framework.
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
PEZA Board OKs creation of Palawan Mega Ecozone
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Board has approved the creation of the Palawan Mega Ecozone (PMEZ), set to be biggest of its kind in the Philippines, with 28,000 hectares of idle land in the Iwahig Penal Colony of the Bureau of Correction (BuCor) planned for conversion into industrial estates. According to PEZA, the Board approved the creation of PMEZ during its meeting on May 21, affirming its contract with BuCor to transfer ownership of idle lands to PEZA for the creation of the ecozone. An initial 4,000 hectares has already been transferred to PEZA under Phase 1, with the pre-qualification for the declaration of a 4,000-hectare property located in Barangays Montible and Sta. Lucia, Puerto Princesa also approved for development. "The Palawan Mega Ecozone is envisioned to attract environmentally responsible industries such as agro-industrial processing, renewable energy, ecotourism, and marine biotechnology," PEZA Director General Tereso Panga said in a statement. "This will not only preserve Palawan's rich biodiversity but will also uplift the livelihood of local communities through jobs and infrastructure development," he added. Under the Special Economic Zone Act, ecozones are selected areas with highly developed areas or those which have the potential to be developed into agro-industrial, industrial tourist/recreational, commercial, banking, investment, and financial centers. Business establishments operating within ecozones are entitled to fiscal incentives as provided by the Ombinus Investment Code, and exempted from national and local taxes, except for real property taxes on land owned by developers. They are instead mandated to remit 5% of their gross income—with 3% going to the national government, and 2% to the treasurer's office of the city or municipality. PEZA said the PMEZ is seen to "revive" the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), and is an immediate response to instructions of the President to promote stronger ties among member states of the Association of East Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is expected to create over 480,000 direct jobs, employing individuals from local communities, persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), and the whole of the Western Visayas and Sulu Regions. Under its mandate, PEZA is tasked to promote the establishment of economic zones in the Philippines for foreign investments. The agency approved 102 new and expansion projects from January to May this year, equivalent to a total investment of P66.34 billion. These are expected to generate over $1 billion in export revenues, and approximately 29,000 direct Filipino jobs. South Korea was the top investing nationality, accounting for 16.12% of total approved investments, followed by the United States with 4.08%, China with 2.20%, Japan with 2.92%, and the Netherlands with 2.16%. In terms of industry, the largest share of approvals were in food and beverage with 43.74%, backed by ecozone development with 32.52%, and information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) with 7.59%. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
Borneo Post
3 days ago
- General
- Borneo Post
Sabah's ethnic literature has potential to flourish within, beyond Malaysia
Dr Henry Bating (front left) during the field research with FIB UNAIR students. KOTA KINABALU (June 2): Sabah's ethnic literature has the potential to flourish both within and outside of Malaysia due to its recognition and support from Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), as well as its relevance to communities and ethnicities within the BIMP-EAGA zone. Senior lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Dr Henry Bating, said that the development of Sabah's ethnic literature — including that of Sarawak, the Chinese (Mahua), Indian (Kayvean/Tamil), Siamese descendants, and the Orang Asli — has directly received support from DBP through, among other initiatives, the annual multi-ethnic literature seminars. 'Meanwhile, the connection of Sabah's ethnic literature with communities in the BIMP-EAGA zone allows it to thrive beyond Malaysia's borders,' he said while delivering a guest lecture at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) in Surabaya, Indonesia on May 27. Henry, who also chairs the Kadazandusun Language Unit at the Centre for the Promotion of Knowledge and Language (PPIB) at UMS, views Sabah's ethnic literature — due to its cross-border community ties — as a valuable resource to broaden students' understanding of the associated cultures and communities. 'Cultural and community knowledge can help students master listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, including singing, as part of the Kadazandusun language elective course offered at PPIB UMS,' he added. The guest lecture and field research were part of an ongoing collaboration between FIB UNAIR and PPIB UMS that began a year ago. Two senior lecturers from PPIB participated in the guest lecture program. Henry presented a lecture titled 'Sabah Ethnic Literature and Multiculturalism in Malaysian and Indonesian Literature', while Dr Shakiratul Hanany Abdul Rahman delivered a lecture on 'Malay Drama in the Teaching of English in Malaysian Secondary Schools'. As part of the development of Sabah's ethnic literature, the Momogun Writers Association of Malaysia (Momogunsia) once organized a regional literature seminar involving presenters from the University of the Philippines (UP), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and the Central Kalimantan Cultural Board on October 22, 2016, at SMK Matunggong. This cross-border seminar was financially and logistically supported by DBP and the Office of the Kota Marudu Member of Parliament, which was then represented by Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus J. Ongkili.
Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Health
- Borneo Post
Tuaran, Beluran Hospitals to pioneer digital healthcare transformation in Sabah
Dr Raymond Alfred KOTA KINABALU (June 2): Despite over three decades of dedicated service since its establishment in 1993, Tuaran Hospital has experienced limited progress in digital healthcare transformation. Recognizing the urgent need to modernize and optimize healthcare delivery, Allyssa Certification Sdn Bhd, under the platform of the BIMP-EAGA Business Council (Sabah), has taken a proactive step to address these systemic challenges. In June 2024, Allyssa Certification Sdn Bhd — an operating arm of the BIMP-EAGA Business Council (Sabah) — together with its technology partners, MQuest Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), engaged in a strategic dialogue with the Chief Minister of Sabah to present proposed digital healthcare solutions. Following the meeting, the Chief Minister's Department recommended direct engagement with the Permanent Secretary (Datuk Maria Chong) of the Ministry of Community Development and People's Wellbeing to advance the initiative. As a result, a Proof of Concept (PoC) was successfully implemented at Tuaran Hospital and partially at Beluran Hospital, with endorsement and support from the ministry. This initiative aligns with the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area) Vision 2025, which prioritizes digitalization as a catalyst for economic integration, innovation and regional resilience. Dr Raymond Alfred, chairman of BIMP-EAGA (Sabah) and CEO of Allyssa Certification Sdn Bhd, believes the digital healthcare initiative will position Tuaran and Beluran Hospitals for enhanced operational efficiency, improved patient outcomes, and readiness for advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). The technical report and outcomes of the PoC were formally submitted to Datuk James Ratib, Sabah's Minister of Community Development and People's Wellbeing, by the project team comprising Dr Raymond Alfred (Allyssa Certification), Prof Ts Dr Rayner Alfred (MIMOS), Dr Rayner Pailus (UMS), Lim Boon Seng (MQ Singapore), and Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah (MQuest Malaysia). James acknowledged the success of the initiative and affirmed the value it brings to Sabah, including (i) Improved access to healthcare for remote and underserved communities, (ii) Accelerated data-driven state-level health policy decisions, (iii) Enhanced efficiency and transparency in the allocation of healthcare resources and (iv) future-proof, autonomous digital healthcare ecosystem tailored to Sabah's unique needs He further recognized the tangible achievements of the PoC, including (i) Full integration of digital platforms across key hospital departments, (ii) Transition of critical workflows (e.g., triage, clinical encounters) from paper-based to digital, (iii) Real-time clinical and operational dashboards for informed decision-making, (iv) Integration of laboratory, radiology, and pharmacy modules with the Hospital Information System (HIS), (v) Deployment of AI-enabled tools to support clinical decision-making, (vi) Standards-based interoperability with the national health database 'This initiative represents a pivotal turning point for Tuaran and Beluran Hospitals,' said James. 'It is a low-risk, high-impact transformation that has the potential to set a new benchmark for smarter, more efficient healthcare delivery in the region. My ministry is fully committed to providing the necessary support to ensure the successful and timely implementation of this initiative.' Raymond extends his sincere appreciation to Permanent Secretary (Datuk Maria Chong) of the Ministry of Community Development and People's Wellbeing, Dr Primus John, Director of Tuaran Hospital, and Dr Aldasir B. Rudy, Director of Beluran Hospital, for their valuable suggestions, contributions, and close cooperation during the implementation of the Proof of Concept. Allyssa Certification Sdn Bhd, together with its technology partners, remains fully committed to supporting both hospitals in their journey to become the first fully digital hospitals in Sabah. This pioneering initiative is set to transform patient care and hospital operations, ushering in a new era of digital healthcare excellence within the BIMP-EAGA region.
Malaysia Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysia Sun
ADB President Reaffirms Strong Support for Regional Cooperation and Integration at BIMP-EAGA and IMT-GT Summits
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (28 May 2025) — Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda has reaffirmed ADB's strong commitment to advancing regional cooperation and integration at the 16th Summits of the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and the Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT). 'The region is navigating the impacts of trade and geopolitical tensions, rapid technological change, and growing threats to food and energy security,' said Mr. Kanda. 'Yet these challenges also present exceptional opportunities to strengthen resilience and drive sustainable economic growth. Our longstanding partnerships will help us turn obstacles into new pathways for progress.' ADB plans to provide an estimated $24 billion in support for Southeast Asia over the next 3 years, with a strong focus on deepening regional cooperation and integration. This includes expanded investments to strengthen connectivity, private sector-led growth, energy integration, and food security. To address food systems vulnerabilities, ADB is increasing financing to $40 billion through 2030. In BIMP-EAGA, known as the "ASEAN's food basket,' ADB has invested $500 million for agricultural development, $93 million for sustainable aquaculture, and $500 million for plastic marine debris reduction. Mr. Kanda announced a forthcoming $400 million loan at the BIMP-EAGA Summit to restore marine ecosystems and strengthen the blue economy in the Philippines. ADB's commitment to energy integration includes readiness to provide $10 billion in financing to accelerate action on the ASEAN Power Grid through cross-border interconnections, national grid expansions, and renewable energy. Aligned with BIMP-EAGA and IMT-GT priorities to enhance connectivity through the private sector, ADB is scaling up private sector financing with a projected four-fold increase to $13 billion annually by 2030. It aims to double its trade and supply chain financing for Southeast Asia to $2.5 billion annually by 2030. In a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Mr. Kanda commended Malaysia's leadership in ASEAN, including its role in advancing the ASEAN Power Grid. He expressed interest in deepening cooperation, particularly in private sector mobilization and regional cooperation and integration. He welcomed the renewed Agreement of Cooperation between Malaysia and ADB, and reaffirmed ADB's knowledge support for green city development across 14 cities. In his meeting with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Mr. Kanda noted Thailand's strong focus on private sector development. He welcomed renewed momentum in sovereign lending to the country, which will support transport, health care, and flood management. ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region.
