亚开行-印度尼西亚-马来西亚-泰国增长三角经济走廊的审查和评估：马来西亚国家报告（英）-2023.3-192页_12mb

Summary of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle Economic Corridors Review and Assessment

Core Content

This document presents a comprehensive review and assessment of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Economic Corridors (ECs), focusing on Malaysia's role and the potential for development and integration within the subregional framework. The study was conducted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in response to a request from the IMT-GT countries, aiming to enhance regional cooperation and integration in Southeast Asia.

The report is structured into eight chapters and includes an integrative report along with country-specific analyses for Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The Malaysia Country Report is part of this broader analysis and provides detailed insights into the existing and proposed economic corridors, their connectivity, economic significance, and institutional mechanisms.

Main Objectives

The study has the following main objectives:

• To analyze the connectivity of the IMT-GT economic corridors through road, rail, sea, and air.
• To identify gaps in current corridor connections and recommend new routes for expanding economic opportunities.
• To review the proposed sixth economic corridor (EC6) and suggest its configuration.
• To examine the links between the corridors and the emerging subregional corridor network.
• To assess the corridors from a value chain perspective, focusing on key products such as palm oil, rubber, and halal foods.
• To recommend ways to improve the development of the economic corridors.

Key Information

Existing Economic Corridors

There are five existing IMT-GT economic corridors:

1. Extended Songkhla-Penang-Medan Economic Corridor (EC1)

   • Connects Southern Thailand (Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat) with Malaysia (Penang, Perlis) and North Sumatera (Medan).
   • Includes two overland routes and a maritime route across the Strait of Malacca.
   • Focuses on agricultural trade, industrial hubs, and special economic zones.
   • Key nodes: Songkhla, Penang, Medan, Belawan Port, and Kedah.
   • Supports trade with Singapore, Malaysia, and Sumatera.

2. Strait of Malacca Economic Corridor (EC2)

   • Connects Thailand's Trang and Satun provinces with Malaysia's Perlis, Penang, Melaka, and Port Klang.
   • Emphasizes coastal and maritime connectivity.
   • Includes ports such as Tammalang, Port Klang, Penang Port, and Tanjung Bruas.
   • Focuses on trade, tourism, and logistics.

3. Melaka-Dumai Economic Corridor (EC4)

   • Links Malaysia's Melaka with Indonesia's Dumai.
   • Includes key nodes like Melaka and Johor.
   • Aims to enhance regional connectivity and economic integration.

4. Ranong-Phuket-Aceh Economic Corridor (EC5)

   • Connects Thailand's Ranong with Malaysia's Phuket and Indonesia's Aceh.
   • Langkawi is proposed to be included due to its strategic location in cruise tourism.
   • Focuses on tourism, trade, and regional development.

5. EC3

   • A national corridor in Sumatera, not directly involving Malaysia.

Proposed Economic Corridor 6 (EC6)

• EC6 is proposed to link Thailand's Pattani-Yala-Narathiwat with Malaysia's Perak and Kelantan and southern Sumatera in Indonesia.
• The corridor is intended to enhance connectivity and economic integration between these regions.
• The study recommends a configuration that optimizes regional spatial use and takes advantage of new production, growth, and logistics centers.

Value Chain Perspective

• The report examines the value chains of three key products: palm oil, rubber, and halal foods.
• It highlights the geographic distribution of production, processing, and distribution activities along the corridors.
• The goal is to identify appropriate interventions to improve the efficiency of these value chains and enhance the competitiveness of their products.

Institutional Mechanisms

• The study identifies gaps in institutional coordination for the development of economic corridors.
• It emphasizes the need for a more integrated and evidence-based approach to corridor planning at the subregional level.
• The current progress is largely due to national initiatives vetted through the IMT-GT platform, rather than coordinated subregional planning.

Methodology

• The study identified specific nodes in each corridor to assess their roles in the transport backbone and gateways.
• Nodes were classified into categories such as capital cities, commercial nodes, border crossing points, maritime ports, tourism nodes, and interlink nodes.
• Fieldwork and consultations were conducted with key ministries, agencies, and stakeholders in Malaysia, including:
  • Economic Planning Unit
  • Ministry of Transport
  • Royal Malaysian Customs Department
  • Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
  • State Economic Planning Units
  • Ports authorities and customs houses
  • The IMT-GT Joint Business Council (JBC)

Conclusion

The review underscores the importance of economic corridors in driving regional integration and economic development within the IMT-GT. It highlights the need for a more coordinated, multimodal, and value-chain-oriented approach to corridor development. The proposed EC6 is seen as a strategic addition to the network, and the study provides recommendations for enhancing connectivity, optimizing logistics, and improving institutional frameworks to support the growth of the IMT-GT economic corridors.