Serdang: The Sabah Ministry of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport is actively developing a working paper on the revival of barter trade between Sabah and the southern Philippines. This initiative is set for presentation at the state Cabinet meeting, according to Datuk Ewon Benedick, the Minister of the department and also Deputy Chief Minister III.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, there has been a notable demand from chambers of commerce, particularly from the Chinese business community, to reinstate barter trade along Sabah's east coast. Datuk Ewon Benedick emphasized the significance of this demand after inspecting facilities at the jetty in Sandakan, managed by the Sabah Ports and Harbours Department, which will facilitate these trade activities. He highlighted requests from Chinese business chambers in Tawau and Sandakan to revive this economic activity.
Further support for this initiative came from the Minister of Trade of Mindanao, who expressed a desire for enhanced cooperation to ensure the successful implementation of barter trade. Additionally, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) is expected to play a role in this collaboration. However, Datuk Ewon stressed that all plans must adhere to legal requirements and governance protocols to ensure transparency and compliance.
In a related development, Datuk Ewon mentioned that the state government is urging port concessionaires in Sabah to upgrade their equipment and machinery to boost port efficiency. This call aligns with the development of the Kinabalu Palm Oil Industrial Park and the cooperation between the Sabah Government and Petronas for gas exploration in the Mutiara Cluster, with an aim to supply gas to the industrial park by 2029.
He also cited ongoing efforts to deepen the shipping channel to Sandakan Port as a crucial initiative. The sand dredged from the channel will be utilized for land reclamation at the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP). The shallowness of the channel currently poses a challenge, as many large vessels are unable to berth without waiting for high tide conditions.