TRANSPORT MINISTERS AT BIMP MEET TO LOOK AT REGIONAL COOPERATION

By Newmond Tibia

KOTA KINABALU (Malaysia), July 27 (Bernama) -- Deputy Transport Minister
Abdul Rahim Bakri is confident that the ongoing Transport Ministers meeting of
the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Filipina-East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), at
Cagayan De Oro in the Philippines, will result in some form of regional
cooperation in the area of transportation and communications.

He said cooperation in the sector would be necessary and timely as it would
be in line with present efforts to create an Asean community by 2015.

"I hope the meeting Wednesday will raise the level of cooperation in the
transportation and communication sector as it would be beneficial for member
nations of BIMP EAGA," he told Bernama during a phone interview from Cagayan De
Oro Wednesday.

Abdul Rahim said the growth triangle could become a driving force to
establish cooperation and facilitating the venture into the various economic
areas of BIMP EAGA which has a market potential of 60 million people where
transportation and communications were the major drivers.

Abdul Rahim, who is leading the Malaysian delegation to the meeting, said
that Malaysia would also give its commitment towards making a success of the
group's plans including its call to Malaysia Airlines' subsidiary, MASwings to
expand its services to several destinations in BIMP-EAGA.

These services would provide a convenient way to facilitate trade and
tourism in the region, he said.

He said that the growth triangle, created in 1994 upon the suggestion of
former Philippines President, Fidel Ramos, had brought about closer regional
ties.

Abdul Rahim also announced that Kota Kinabalu, Sabah has been elected as the
host for next year's BIMP EAGA Transport Ministers meeting.