KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is committed towards developing its border towns in anticipation of Indonesia moving its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara in East Kalimantan.

       On the move, Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan said this will bring benefits to economic sectors in both Malaysia and Indonesia.

       Nizam – the State Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister – said that this is also to ensure Sabah will fully gain from the massive development that is expected to take place following the switch of the Indonesian capital.

       He said the state’s fortuitous location of being close to its Kalimantan neighbours will be a catalyst for economic windfall for people on either side of the border.

       Nizam said this following a reception held to welcome a visit by an entourage led by North Kalimantan governor Drs H Zainal A Paliwang on Wednesday (Nov 22).

       Also present were Indonesia Consul General in Kota Kinabalu Rafail Walangitan, Sabah’s special envoy to the BIMP-Eaga (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area) Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, Kukusan assemblyman Rina Jainal and Balung state representative Datuk Hamild Awang.

       Towards this end, Nizam said good relations between Sabah and Kalimantan would provide more opportunities for business between the two regions.

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       Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had in January last year said Sabah was looking forward to enhancing trade ties with Indonesia.

       This was following the passing of a bill by Indonesia’s Parliament to relocate its capital to Kalimantan from Jakarta which was reported would cost some US$32.5bil.

       President Joko Widodo also chose Nusantara to call the new city, a name in Javanese for the Indonesian archipelago.

       Earlier this month, Widodo broke ground for the construction of several projects ranging from an airport, toll-road and hospital to a hotel in Nusantara.

       Hajiji had said that while Sabah and Indonesia have had two-way trade and other dealings all along, this new development is set to further strengthen their relations and benefit both nations economically.