Triangle to spur growth

Triangle to spur growth

MANILA (AFP): A growth triangle encompassing contiguous areas
of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand can generate US$15 billion to
$20 billion in business opportunities, the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) said yesterday.

This estimate was reached following an ADB-financed study by
30 experts, identifying almost 100 projects, programs and
policies required to develop the triangle in the next 10 years,
the Philippine-based ADB said in a statement.

This proposed growth triangle would include North Sumatra and
Aceh in Indonesia, the northern states of Kedah, Perak, Penang
and Perlis in Malaysia and the southern provinces of Satun,
Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani in Thailand.

The ADB study identified five areas for possible cooperation
within the triangle -- trade, investment and labor mobility,
transportation and communications, agriculture, fisheries,
industry and energy and tourism.

However, the study also found certain policies and programs
must be in place before the growth triangle can be created and
that financing from bilateral and multilateral agencies as well
as private investors, would be required.