'Boost Asean low-cost air links'
From Leslie Andres in Hanoi
PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak called for more low-cost airline operations using turbo-prop engines to enhance transport links within the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand triangle.
Speaking at the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Summit on the sidelines of the 17th Asean Summit here on Thursday, he said turbo-prop engines were more cost-effective for the growth triangle.
Najib said this would be in line with the IMT-GT roadmap in enhancing transport links within the three countries, adding that the transport sector remained a key factor and enabler towards realising an Asean community by 2015.
He said regional development was important to Malaysia in its efforts to reduce the development gap between different areas.
"Malaysia's commitment to sub-regional cooperation as a means towards encouraging economic development in IMT-GT areas is underpinned in our Corridor Development Plans.
"In this regard, the Northern Corridor Economic Region and part of the East Coast Economic Region that encompass the northern and eastern states of Peninsular Malaysia will further provide the impetus and complement the trans-border development within the IMT-GT sub-region."
Najib said Malaysia welcomed the plan to strengthen medical tourism within the growth triangle, adding that this was an area in which the country had substantial expertise and experience to offer.
On the volatility of global food and energy prices and care for the environment, Najib said Malaysia would be hosting the Joint Food Safety and High-value Agriculture Conference and Exhibition in July next year as a pathfinder initiative towards charting a framework on agriculture cooperation.
Its main objective is to provide an international perspective and to increase the awareness of agriculture in foreign direct investment.
The conference and exhibition will be a joint effort with Japan, being a new development partner of IMT-GT.
The IMT-GT Summit was chaired by Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva while Indonesia's delegation was led by its economic affairs coordinating minister, Mohd Hatta Rajasa.
Also present were Asean secretary-general Dr Surin Pitsuwan and Asian Development Bank president Haruhiko Kuroda.
Read more: 'Boost Asean low-cost air links' http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/4vaco/Article#ixzz13rMRGoqn
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