BARMM officials propose importing fuel from Brunei, Malaysia

COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro regional officials are seeking Malacañang’s permission for their constituent-traders to import petroleum products from Brunei and Malaysia that are much cheaper, compared to those procured from the Middle East.

Members of the 80-seat Bangsamoro parliament said on Wednesday, that importing petroleum products from both Asian petroleum-exporting countries can keep the economy going in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and in the nearby southern administrative regions.

Bangsamoro lawmakers Ishak V. Mastura, Naguib G. Sinarimbo, Jet L. Lim, and Kadil M. Sinolinding, Jr., separately told reporters on Wednesday morning that they are certain that Brunei and Malaysia, being members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, or OIC, will not hesitate to export petroleum products to BARMM.

Mr. Sinolinding, who is overseeing the Ministry of Health-BARMM in concurrent capacity, said the operation of hospitals and municipal medical dispensaries in far-flung areas in the autonomous region relying on diesel-fed power generators could stop once funds earmarked for fuel are exhausted.

“It is now time for our national government and the Bangsamoro regional government to work out the importation of petroleum products from Brunei and Malaysia,” Mr. Sinolinding said.

Mr. Lim, who hails from BARMM’s Tawi-Tawi province near Malaysia and Brunei, said their regional government’s Environment and Natural Resources, and Trade and Investment ministries, as well as the office of their chief minister, Abdulraof A. Macacua, can work along with agencies of the national government in crafting a scheme for importation of petroleum products from the two OIC-member countries.

“We badly need that at this time when the Muslim, Christian and indigenous communities, the region’s business groups and our regional government are trying to make our fledgling economy grow and become at par with those in more progressive regions in Mindanao,” Mr. Lim said.

Mr. Mastura and Mr. Sinarimbo, both of ethnic Maguindanaon descent, are optimistic that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will agree to their proposed fuel importation measure. — John Felix M. Unson