PUSHING AHEAD: The
four member nations have come up with proposals to boost linkages within the
sub-region
AFTER more than 18 years since its inception in 1994, the
Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines East Asean Growth Area
(BIMP-EAGA) initiative appears to have yet to yield any tangible results.
Its apparent lack of success has prompted some to make
cynical remarks that BIMP-EAGA should mean "Bring In More People-Eat And
Go Away" in an apparent reference to the numerous meetings and conferences
held over the years to discuss ways and means to achieve its objectives.
The Asean sub-grouping is primarily intended to spur
development in the lagging sub-economies of the member countries by boosting
intra-EAGA trade, tourism and investments.
However, despite such snide remarks, which of late have
become very common, the four BIMP-EAGA member countries are not about to give
up, with new efforts being proposed and introduced.
Their latest move is to push a proposal for the
introduction of more intra flights, with transport ministers from the four
member countries renewing their resolve to expand air connectivity in the
sub-region.
At the recently concluded 9th BIMP-EAGA Transport,
Infrastructure, and ICT Development Cluster meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan,
transport officials finalised the amended memorandum of understanding (MoU) on
Expansion of Air Linkages and focused on how to further improve air, sea, and
land connectivity in the sub-region.
Connectivity has always been a big challenge for the sub-region's
transport sector, and as such it is heartening that all the BIMP-EAGA member
countries are fully supportive of the new progress made in air linkages.
Among the key steps discussed are designating additional
entry points outside the EAGA borders, coming up with incentives for airline
operators who wish to operate EAGA routes, and strengthening the recently
proposed Davao-Manado-Kota Kinabalu route, which will be pioneered by
Malaysian-owned MASwings.
The triangular route is one of the major outputs of the
1st Equator Asia Air Access Forum and Airline CEO Summit hosted by the
Philippines last April in Davao City.
All these are part of efforts highlighted in the MoU on
the Expansion of Air Linkages within the BIMP-EAGA.
The prioritised EAGA routes as agreed in the air linkages
working group meeting were Kuching-Balikpapan, Kota Kinabalu-Balikpapan,
Pontianak-Miri and Davao-Manado-Kota Kinabalu routes.
MASwings has also expressed interest in launching a
Puerto Princesa-Kota Kinabalu route within the year.
As the other BIMP-EAGA countries are connected through
land transport, the Philippines is working on the establishment of air and sea
linkages to be fully accessible to our EAGA neighbours.
BIMP-EAGA covers the whole of Brunei Darussalam, Sabah,
Sarawak and Labuan in Malaysia, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Irian Jaya in
Indonesia and Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines.
Since routes from Mindanao and Palawan to other EAGA
points are now gradually being revived, the transport and tourism clusters
should come up with attractive tour packages for the passengers and competitive
incentives for the airlines.
The best way to sustain these flights is to generate more
traffic through tourism packages and campaigns, as well as provide a more
friendly business environment for our operators.
The governments of the four countries signed the Air
Linkages MoU in 2007 with the end goal of promoting and enhancing trade,
investment, tourism and cultural exchange in the sub-region.
With some quarters beginning to question its relevance,
let us hope that the proposed move to increase intra flights within the
sub-region will bear the desired results to keep the BIMP-EAGA spirit burning.
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