Kota Kinabalu: The BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BEBC) proposed the establishment of a Majlis Kerjasama Ekonomi Borneo (MKEB), to ensure balanced and sustainable development nationwide.
“The realisation of MKED is a strategic institutional framework designed to bridge the economic coordination gap between the Borneo states and the Federal government,” said BEBC-Sabah Chairman Dr Raymond Alfred, following discussions with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Ts Mustapha Sadmud.
Raymond said a dedicated, permanent platform is essential to ensure that Sabah and Sarawak receive fair economic opportunities and that their resource rights are protected through systematic engagement rather than fragmented channels.
The envisioned council aims to move beyond ad-hoc discussions by focusing on four primary pillars:
- Institutional Coordination: Establishing a formal, permanent consultation platform.
- MA63 Economic Implementation: Monitoring and supporting the specific economic provisions outlined in the 1963 agreement.
- Regional Economic Development: Prioritizing high-growth sectors including the Blue Economy, renewable energy, biotechnology, food security, and AI- driven rural innovation.
- Federal–Wilayah Policy Alignment: Streamlining fiscal matters and development planning between federal ministries and the state governments of Sabah and Sarawak.
Raymond said such a Council would not only benefit internal Malaysian relations but also strengthen the position of Sabah and Sarawak within BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area).
By aligning policies, he claimed the two states could better serve as strategic economic gateways within the wider Southeast Asian network.
Raymond also issued a rallying cry to the professional community, including engineers, lawyers, accountants and architects, to play a more proactive role in governance, saying major developmental decisions should not be made by political leaders in isolation.
He said the expertise of professional bodies is vital to ensure that technical knowledge guides long-term planning for the benefit of future generations of Sabahans.
“The proposal is set to undergo further consultations with industry stakeholders and policymakers to refine its institutional mechanisms, he stressed and also expressed gratitude to Mustapha for the latter’s openness to the dialogue.
