KUCHING: The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) welcomes the formation of a special task force by the federal government to study the impact of Indonesia shifting its capital to Kalimantan towards Sarawak and to plan the development of the Sarawak-Kalimantan border.
“It is timely for federal government to pay special attention to this new growth area,” said SUPP secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting to New Sarawak Tribune here on Monday (Feb 21).
“With the present population of 18 million people and the likely huge influx of Indonesia’s population, businesses and manufacturing to the new capital called Nusantara, their demand for electricity, raw materials, gas, food products and services will definitely increase tremendously,” said Ting, who is also Assistant Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister.
“This will certainly offer a whole range of business opportunities for Sarawak and indeed the potential growth for Sarawak is beyond imagination. Without a shadow of doubt, Sarawakians will greatly benefit from this.”
Ting also added that furthermore, SUPP foresaw the relocation of Indonesia’s capital would likely have a huge impact on the state’s tourism, cultural exchanges, health-tourism, education, agriculture and transportation.
“We must also get ourselves prepared and be ready to welcome and participate in these new wonderful business opportunities.
“It is important for Sarawak to have an infrastructure development plan to improve our border security and setting up state-of-the-art Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) offices at all possible entry points, very much like the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex in Johor at the Malaysia-Singapore border,” said the Piasau assemblyman.
Ting added that, in addition, Sarawak must also have good roads connecting the border to major towns and cities.
“In future, we may have to look into having LRT or train system network going around Borneo island connecting Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah and Indonesia. The Sarawak government is requesting for more federal funding to develop more CIQS and more roads along the border.
“Federal should invest more into Sarawak and maybe create the third capital here after Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur to build a closer international trade, financial development and economic growth between Malaysia and Indonesia.”
