News From : DagangHalal.com (30 Sep 2010)
KUCHING, Sept 30 (Bernama) — A Sarawak minister has proposed the setting up of a regional university or vocational centre within the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
Minister in the Chief Minister”s Office Datin Fatimah Abdullah who made the call, said knowledge, skills and competencies were required to turn the region into a hub.
“We must not neglect the opportunity in education and training within BIMP-EAGA. We could look into the possibility of setting up a regional university or vocational centre.
“Regional cooperation driven by the private sector and with the support of our governments, we could establish one,” she said at a dinner in conjunction with BIMP-EAGA”s 19th Senior Officials Meeting here last night.
Fatimah also called upon BIMP-EAGA member countries to create niche products to avoid competition with other regions.
“We wish to see more trading exchanges amongst ourselves. It would be beneficial to create niche products produced in the region.
“Therefore, a Blue Ocean strategy will be wiser to take to bring our region forward in the future. In business, I believe this is what we aspire for. So let”s use this network to arrive at this strategy,” she said.
Fatimah also called on women entrepreneurs in the region to aggressively tap into the vast potential of the BIMP-EAGA territory, especially in halal products, and turn it into business assets.
“Each of us has our own unique strengths. By pooling and sharing resources, we could harness this region into a competitive hub for the production of halal products as we have plenty of natural resources that could be packed and processed into halal foods,” she said.
She said the women entrepreneurs should turn the region into the world”s largest food production centre.
“Our soils are fertile and suitable for numerous kinds of cash crops that have export value. We have vast land for husbandry. All these strengths are signals for us to cooperate and generate this region into world”s largest food production centre.
“With BIMP-EAGA, I am optimistic that one day we will be there. I believe after almost two decades of network amongst us, we will be able to see more light in our cooperation,” she said.
Fatimah said the women entrepreneurs should also explore areas where China could “import” from the region.
“Let”s us start to look at areas where the emerging Chinese economy could import from us. Tap on their vast population. At the same time, let us learn something from them. May be their business culture,” she said.
Earlier, Fatimah witnessed the signing of a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) between the Women”s Bureau of Sarawak Chamber of Bumiputera Entrepreneurs and the Women Business Council of Brunei.
The MOC aims to forge a business alliance between both parties and facilitate sharing of information, ideas and training.
— BERNAMA