Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha represented Brunei Darussalam at the 30th ASEAN Transport Ministers’ Meeting (ATM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from November 21 to yesterday.
Officiated by Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Haji Fadillah bin Yusof, the 30th ATM was chaired by Malaysian Minister of Transport Loke Siew Fook. The meeting endorsed and adopted several documents aimed at enhancing the sustainability of the transport sector through decarbonisation and digitalisation efforts, including the signing of Protocol 5 on own stopover rights to the ASEAN Multilateral Agreement on the Full Liberalisation of Passenger Air Services, ASEAN Guidelines on Light Electric Vehicles, ASEAN Guidelines on Urban Freight Transport, ASEAN Guidelines on Port Sector Public Private Partnership and ASEAN Guidelines on Port Digitalisation and Automation.
On behalf of the Brunei government, Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary signed Protocol 5 of the ASEAN Multilateral Agreement on the Full Liberalisation of Passenger Air Services on November 21. The protocol aims to bolster a more efficient and competitive air transport market within ASEAN by allowing airlines to pick up and drop off passengers after stopovers, providing travellers with more choices and enhancing passenger movement within the region.
The 30th ATM was followed by meetings with ASEAN dialogue partners – China, Japan, and South Korea – to discuss initiatives for the continued development of transport cooperation, including the endorsement of their frameworks and work plans.
Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary held bilateral meetings with several counterparts. With Malaysia, he discussed enhancing transport cooperation, including digitalisation of services and mutual recognition of documents. With Singapore, he explored opportunities to broaden cooperation in areas like sustainability. And with South Korea, he discussed collaboration in smart cities development and smart transport.
Prior to the 30th ATM, the 58th ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM) and associated dialogue partner meetings were held from November 18-20 in Kuala Lumpur. Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications Ir Haji Mohammad Nazri bin Haji Mohammad Yusof led the Brunei delegation in discussing key documents for adoption, the progress of programmes and projects under the Kuala Lumpur Transport Strategic Plan (KLTSP) 2016-2025 and global trends impacting the transport sector. – James Kon
