Malaysia eyes infrastructure partnership with Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines — The Malaysian government, through its Islamic Chamber of Commerce, has expressed interest to collaborate with the Cebu City government on infrastructure projects, Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia revealed yesterday.

Garcia shared the development during the regular flag-raising ceremony on Monday, expressing gratitude for the potential partnership and acknowledging the role of intermediaries who facilitated the connection.

"I am pleased with their eagerness to assist Cebu City. When they return with a more detailed proposal, we will present them with specific challenges that need solutions and identify which sectors they can contribute to," Garcia said.

He added that the Malaysian representatives are expected to revisit Cebu City soon to continue discussions on potential infrastructure collaborations.

"We are looking forward to further discussions. This partnership, if realized, could bring significant improvements to Cebu City’s infrastructure and overall development," Garcia added.

According to Garcia, initial talks revolved around the construction of dams and other crucial infrastructure projects.

"They are very much willing to help Cebu City with our infrastructure projects. We talked about building dams and improving infrastructure,” he told reporters in a press conference shortly after the flag-raising ceremony.

The Malaysians are also exploring the possibility of conducting a study for a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the Cebu City government.

“They are looking into conducting a study on a possible PPP which could involve their investment arm or a private proponent," Garcia explained.

Garcia highlighted cultural similarities between Cebu and Malaysia, particularly with the state of Penang, which has preserved its heritage sites.

"Malaysia is very similar to us, particularly the state of Penang. It is also a historic state that has successfully preserved its heritage sites, much like what we are striving to do here in Cebu," he said.

The potential collaboration with Malaysia follows recent interest from Japan, signaling growing international attention in Cebu City's infrastructure and development projects. — (FREEMAN)