KUCHING: The Borneo Business Roundtable recently convened key stakeholders from across the Borneo region to deliberate on strategies for enhancing intra-Borneo trade and attracting Foreign Direct Investments (FDI).
Among the attendees was Datuk Jonathan Chai, who is the secretary-general at the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sarawak (ACCCIS).
The event, which took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, marked the second roundtable conference of the year.
Chai disclosed that the conference encompassed discussions featuring a presentation on Nusantara, Indonesia’s forthcoming capital city, and an introduction to the digital platform known as “DagangBorneo”.
“DagangBorneo serves as a collaborative digital marketplace platform intended to facilitate seamless cross-border transactions, drawing in businesses, investors, digital talents, and governments from across Borneo.
“Its primary focus is on promoting circular economy transactions and sustainable development, with the vision of positioning the island as the green economy hub of Asean,” he elaborated.
Following these deliberations, the Borneo Economic Community (BEC) was established. BEC stands as a shared legacy programme and a focus group representing various territories within Borneo.
“BEC is primed to play a pivotal role in championing Asean Centrality and the Asean Digital Community at the subregional level,” he stated in a press release.
Chai further revealed that ACCCIS had received an invitation to participate and sign the Statement of Cooperation (SOC) for the formation of the BEC, where it assumes a role as one of the “Lead Partners.”
He concluded by expressing his optimism that BEC could facilitate the resolution of the longstanding issue surrounding the closure of the border checkpoint between Entikong and Tebedu, thus opening up opportunities for expanded bilateral trade between these two territories.
