SE Asian growth triangle will improve energy, labor sectors<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): A proposed Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth
\nTriangle (IMT-GT) will improve the energy and labor situations in
\nthese countries and boost investment in the area, said delegates
\nat a special conference here yesterday.<\/p>\n
The conference, hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),
\nhowever also discussed constraints on the creation of the IMT-GT
\nincluding various national restrictions as well as a need to
\nimprove the studies aimed at creating this growth area.<\/p>\n
The three-day conference, held at the ADB's headquarters in
\nManila, is aimed at studying recommendations for the creation of
\nthe IMT-GT.<\/p>\n
It is hoped that by encouraging greater economic integration,
\nthe area can enjoy the same kind of progress spawned by the
\nChina-Taiwan-Hong Kong growth triangle.<\/p>\n
Phisit Pakkasem, head of the Thai delegation, said ADB studies
\nfor the creation of the IMT-GT were "comprehensive and well-
\norganized," but said they still contained some factual errors
\nwhich must be corrected.<\/p>\n
He also said that the role of the private sector in the
\ncreation of the zone must be maximized, both for their management
\nskills and to raise capital for projects to be undertaken in the
\ngrowth triangle.<\/p>\n
Annuar Maaruf, the head of the Malaysian delegation, said the
\ncreation of the IMT-GT would ease the inflow of illegal workers
\ninto Malaysia both by regulating the entry of workers and by
\nencouraging Malaysians to invest in Thailand and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Power<\/p>\n
Sanjaya Lall, an international energy and industry consultant
\nfrom Oxford University, also identified power integration with
\nSumatran coal, liquefied natural gas and electricity being
\nsupplied to Thailand to ease that country's power problems.<\/p>\n
He also said Sumatran coal and power could similarly be
\nsupplied to Malaysia adding that consortia from all three
\ncountries could be set up, from both the private and public
\nsector, to set up power plants in certain areas chosen for
\noptimized service to the whole region.<\/p>\n
Lall also identified potential industries for all the areas
\ncovered by the triangle but added that lack of infrastructure,
\ntechnological capabilities, subcontracting systems, credit,
\ninformation and cheap but skilled labor, also constrained the
\ndevelopment of the region.<\/p>\n
He called for more human resource development, including
\ntraining programs for foreign workers, as well as the imposition
\nof higher technical standards, to address these problems.<\/p>\n
During the conference, members of the Malaysian delegation
\nalso said different legal systems as well as domestic protection
\nand restrictive land and immigration policies were also
\nconstraints.<\/p>\n
The results of this conference will be taken up further at a
\nmeeting between officials of the three countries at Penang in
\nlate-September.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/se-asian-growth-triangle-will-improve-energy-labor-sectors-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}