Jakarta, Bangkok, KL sign 40 deals

Jakarta, Bangkok, KL sign 40 deals

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have signed 40
agreements worth US$3.2 billion for business activities in their
sub-regional cooperation areas, an official said.

"Most of the agreements are related to infrastructure projects
which cost a total of about $2 billion," the Malaysian minister
for the coordination the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth
Triangle, was quoted over the weekend by Antara as saying in
Kuala Lumpur.

He said that the infrastructure projects include the
construction of railway facilities, roads and two oil and gas
pipelines.

The railway and road projects will connect two ports on Penang
island in northwest Malaysia and Songkha in southern Thailand.

The two pipelines will help reduce the volume of gas shipments
through the Malacca Strait and support the establishment of new
petrochemical plants and downstream petroleum-based industrial
factories, he said.

Zainuddin said that the infrastructure projects also include
the establishment of telecommunication facilities, power stations
and industrial estates.

"The development of the industries will increase job
opportunities and help Malaysia solve its illegal worker
problems," he said.

He anticipates that the development of industrial and
infrastructure facilities in northern Sumatra and southern
Thailand will encourage illegal workers in Malaysia to return to
their home countries.(04)