KUCHING, Dec 11 — The Borneo island is expected to be connected by a power grid by 2025 in a move to boost economic and tourism activities within the region including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, a Sarawak minister said today.
Sarawak Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg said West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan and Sarawak will be the major renewable energy suppliers.
“Renewable power is very important for the development of this sub-region of Asean under the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025,” he told reporters here today, referring to the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines - East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
Abang Johari said that from Sabah, power will be connected to Mindanao in southern Philippines.
Sarawak will be the main renewable energy supplier to Brunei and up to Bengkayan, part of West Kalimantan, while the rest of Borneo will be supplied by South Kalimantan and East Kalimantan, he said.
He said the West Kalimantan and Sarawak Power Interconnection project is scheduled for full operation in 2016.
“The moment we have this power grid covering the whole of Borneo, infrastructure will come in,” Abang Johari, who is also the state housing minister, said when briefing reporters on the outcome of yesterday’s BIMP-EAGA ministerial meeting chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Seri Wahid Omar.
“The ministers agreed that Sarawak will look into the development of this infrastructure, to be monitored by Asian Development Bank,” he said.
He said Sarawak welcomed the formulation of the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025 to develop a resilient, inclusive, sustainable and economically competitive sub-region.
“The vision gives us opportunities to work together to integrate and enhance the economic activities, especially for Kalimantan, Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
Abang Johari added that Sarawak was looking at a community-based ecotourism sector for the BIMP-EAGA sub-region, especially on homestay, resort and cruise linkages to enhance the tourism sector.
