Kuala lumpur: The development of the Malaysia-Thailand Border Economic Zone (BEZ) will provide Malaysian goods with wider access to the markets of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. Anwar, who is also finance minister, stated that Malaysian exports, particularly fisheries and agricultural products, had previously faced Thai customs restrictions when transiting to those markets, but Bangkok has agreed to ease the requirements.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar mentioned that the relaxation will create greater trading opportunities for Malaysia's fisheries and agricultural sectors by allowing goods to move more smoothly through the usual customs procedures. He addressed this during the Dewan Rakyat's Minister's Question Time in response to Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan (BN-Kuala Pilah), who inquired about the economic benefits Malaysia is expected to derive from the Malaysia-Thailand BEZ and the mechanisms to ensure small businesses and border communities also benefit.

Anwar said the BEZ aims to unlock broader economic development beyond Sadao and Bukit Kayu Hitam, which were jointly launched with Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul several days ago. He added that the initiative would also cover Rantau Panjang, with the cooperation of the state government to expedite its implementation. "We are targeting stronger Malaysia-Thailand trade, which has significant potential but has yet to be fully realised," he said.

Anwar emphasized that the border development initiative would prioritize small and medium-sized enterprises, job creation, and skills training to ensure local communities benefit from increased economic activity. He further mentioned that the BEZ would be supported by the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), with the federal government having decided to extend the railway to Rantau Panjang. In discussions with Anutin, Anwar proposed that the railway be extended into Thailand along the same route.