COTABATO CITY — Planners in the Bangsamoro Ministry of Transportation and Communications are studying the viability of applying the public service programs of Malaysia in the autonomous region.

Bangsamoro Transportation and Communications Minister Paisalin P. Tago told reporters in Cotabato City on Tuesday that he and his subordinate-officials were so impressed with Malaysian policies on airport and seaport management, which can be applied in the autonomous region.

Mr. Tago led the team that toured Malaysia last week and met Malaysian officials who, in dialogues, shared to them governance and public service insights.

“We are keen on adopting some of their governance and public services thrusts for regional application,” Mr. Tago told reporters.

While in Malaysia, Mr. Tago, Deputy Minister Muhammad Ameen Abbas, and other officials met with their counterparts from the Malaysian Ministry of Transportation, the Tabung Haji, and the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies.

The Tabung Haji is an agency focused on facilitating savings, through investments, for the yearly pilgrimage of Malaysians to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. It also has programs promoting finance, health, property and information technologies. — John Felix M. Unson