KUALA LUMPUR – The government has been urged to develop Sabah and Sarawak as the country’s new trade growth centres.
Datuk Matbali Musah (Sipitang-GRS) said the development of Indonesia’s new capital city, Nusantara in East Kalimantan, makes both states potential beneficiaries of the progress on the Borneo island.
“The potential of Sabah and Sarawak’s position is very significant and is now even stronger following Indonesia’s relocation of its capital to East Kalimantan, where Malaysia shares a large portion of the island.
“If a big country Indonesia has already moved its administrative centre and economic development away from Java Island, then it is significant and consistent for Malaysia to also shift trade to the Borneo Island, making Sabah and Sarawak as new growth centres,” he said when debating the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat, today.
Hence, Matbali is confident the government is committed to achieving the aspiration to reduce the economic gap between states for shared prosperity. – March 4, 2024