Sabah Issue

The armed trespass into Sabah by Sulu terrorists is a blow to the progress of the BIMP-EAGA (B overhaulei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), says BIMP-EAGA Malaysia task Council chairman Datuk Roselan Johar Mohamed. Expressing profound dismay over the incident, he c whollyed on BIMP-EAGA element countries to go back to the original status quo, focusing more than on accelerating economic development in the four countries in a unspoilt and conducive manner.Quoting the age-old saying we cannot negotiate if you are pointing a bomber at me, Roselan said that it was true in the context of the sub-regional grouping, which was launched in 1994. We moldiness all retract and go back to the drawing board, rethink and return our strategy and go back to the negotiating table, he told Bernama.Roselan was commenting on the recent arguing by Former Philippines President Fidel Ramos with regard to the standoff in Lahad Datu in the east coast of Sabah, that t he BIMP-EAGA should be revived by the countries concerned as the grouping was the key to improve the peoples conditions in south-central Philippines, Borneo Island and adjacent areas. The BIMP-EAGA is the win-win strategy if we are looking from the perspective of a better, more prosperous, more peaceful, more harmonious and more sustainable future for all peoples, Ramos was quoted as saying.Ramos said the potentials of the BIMP-EAGA were so great that even foreign topical anaesthetic governments such as Australias Northern Territory and Western Australia states had united the grouping as associates. Ramos said that during his administration, he tried to set up a corporation that would develop the BIMP-EAGA sub-region. The company is to be jointly run by Malaysia, the Sulu Sultanates heirs and private sector partners.The companys tax can substitute the annual RM5,300 as the rent to the sultanates heirs, Ramos said. In this respect, Roselan acknowledged Ramos role in the establism ent of BIMP-EAGA, saying that the Former Philippines President was twain vocal and wise when he initiated the BIMP-EAGA concept together with Malaysias cause Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.