By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, Feb 27: Six young Sarawakian designers have been accepted to showcase their designed products at the Milano Design Week in Milan, Italy in the second quarter of this year.
Citing the achievement of the six, Minister of International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan justified that the development of the furniture industry in Sarawak will also give rise to the development of human capital especially in nurturing more designers for furniture.
He took note that Sarawak Timber Development Corporation (STIDC) is presently implementing a programme to develop young designers in Sarawak to address the need for talent and skilled designers in the furniture industry and aims to train up to 100 young designers by 2030.
Besides the manufacturing of furniture, Awang Tengah who is Second Minister of Urban Development and Resources believed that initiatives to promote non timber resources like bamboo will also need to be further enhanced.
During a special gathering at STIDC’s theatrette here today, he urged STIDC to be more proactive in implementing the Bamboo Master Plan.
It is his hope that by 2025, Sarawak will have a well-established ecosystem comprising bamboo plantation, strong bamboo-based industry and competitive high-value bamboo products for export.
Apart from that, Awang Tengah who is Deputy Chief Minister noted that STIDC has established an investment arm, STIDC Capital which is tasked to explore new sources of income or investment to generate more sustainable income from other sectors that provide sustainable returns.
He believed that STIDC should not depend on the premium collected from logging as the main source of revenue to the corporation.
On Tanjung Manis of Sarikei, Awang Tengah said STIDC has played a pivotal role in the development of the development.
He observed that the Sarawak government’s aspiration is to transform Tanjung Manis into a vibrant economic growth area in the central region and such initiative has been followed through by STIDC.
Among those present during the special gathering were Assistant Minister of International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Naroden Majais, Assistant Minister of Urban Development and Resources Datu Len Talif Salleh and staff of STIDC. — DayakDaily
