KUCHING: Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, will impact the development of not just Kalimantan, but also Sabah and Sarawak.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said relations between Indonesia, Sabah and Sarawak must, therefore, be fostered and improved as there will be many opportunities for all parties to benefit from.
“There will be many discussions and together with the East Malaysian private sectors we can get involved in emerging opportunities,” said Awang Tengah, who is also state Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment in an interview at Nusantara.
Together with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, Awang Tengah yesterday visited the site of Nusantara that is being developed. Stressing that it was a great honour and privilege to be at ‘titik nol’ (KM 0 point) of Indonesia’s new capital, he said border trade can be improved and the states will also look at joint border development.
“ With infrastructure development in Kalimantan involving roads from West Kalimantan to North Kalimantan, we need to look at upgrading our present CIQ (customs, immigration and quarantine) complexes and build new ones,” he said.
Similarly, Ongkili said that while the development of Nusantara is still at its early stage, the Malaysian delegation had seen and was briefed on its masterplan and timeframe.
“The Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta will assist investors from Malaysia who are interested in investing or participating (in Nusantara development).
But for a start, we should strengthen the border economy that has long existed among the regions in Borneo,” he said.
Their visit to Nusantara was part of their official working visit to Indonesia.
Also in the Malaysian delegation is Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
On March 14, Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited and camped at the site of Nusantara as he pressed ahead with the ambitious plan to build the Indonesian new capital.
