ID :
144299
Thu, 09/30/2010 - 11:17
Auther :

REGIONAL VARSITY IN BIMP-EAGA PROPOSED

KUCHING (Malaysia), Sept 30 (Bernama) -- A Sarawak minister has proposed the setting up of a regional university or vocational centre within the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

Minister in the Chief Minister's Office Fatimah Abdullah who made the
call, said knowledge, skills and competencies were required to turn the region
into a hub.

"We must not neglect the opportunity in education and training within
BIMP-EAGA. We could look into the possibility of setting up a regional
university or vocational centre.

"Regional cooperation driven by the private sector and with the support of
our governments, we could establish one," she said at a dinner in conjunction
with BIMP-EAGA's 19th Senior Officials Meeting here Wednesday night.


Fatimah also called upon BIMP-EAGA member countries to create niche products
to avoid competition with other regions.

"We wish to see more trading exchanges amongst ourselves. It would be
beneficial to create niche products produced in the region.

"Therefore, a Blue Ocean strategy will be wiser to take to bring our region
forward in the future. In business, I believe this is what we aspire for. So
let's use this network to arrive at this strategy," she said.

Fatimah also called on women entrepreneurs in the region to aggressively tap
into the vast potential of the BIMP-EAGA territory, especially in halal
products, and turn it into business assets.

"Each of us has our own unique strengths. By pooling and sharing resources,
we could harness this region into a competitive hub for the production of halal
products as we have plenty of natural resources that could be packed and
processed into halal foods," she said.

She said the women entrepreneurs should turn the region into the world's
largest food production centre.

"Our soils are fertile and suitable for numerous kinds of cash crops that
have export value. We have vast land for husbandry. All these strengths are
signals for us to cooperate and generate this region into world's largest food
production centre.

"With BIMP-EAGA, I am optimistic that one day we will be there. I believe
after almost two decades of network amongst us, we will be able to see more
light in our cooperation," she said.

Fatimah said the women entrepreneurs should also explore areas where China
could "import" from the region.

"Let's us start to look at areas where the emerging Chinese economy could
import from us. Tap on their vast population. At the same time, let us learn
something from them. May be their business culture," she said.

Earlier, Fatimah witnessed the signing of a memorandum of cooperation (MOC)
between the Women's Bureau of Sarawak Chamber of Bumiputera Entrepreneurs and
the Women Business Council of Brunei.

The MOC aims to forge a business alliance between both parties and
facilitate sharing of information, ideas and training.

Sarawak is an East Malaysia state.

-- BERNAMA


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