KUCHING, June 26: Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan led the Sarawak delegation at a roundtable discussion with Australia Malaysia Business Chamber Western Australia (AMBCAW) in Perth recently.
In his welcoming remarks, Awang Tengah said that Sarawak’s economic growth in 2021 was estimated between three to four per cent despite the sluggish global economy.
“As our economic activities normalise with the reopening of the international border, continued growth in the external sector and improved domestic activities, we have projected the economy to grow between 5 to 6 per cent in 2022,” he said.
He added that the total trade between Sarawak and Australia in 2021 was AU$1.1 billion (RM3.6 billion), and the value of Sarawak’s export to Australia was AU$0.4 billion (RM1.2 billion), mainly for crude petroleum, plywood and urea. On the other hand, the value of Sarawak’s imports from Australia was AU$0.7 billion (RM2.4 billion), mainly for aluminium ores and concentrate.
“I hope today, we will be able to discuss further on the areas where Sarawak and Western Australia can strengthen the collaboration in business and trade as well as explore potential investments,” he added.
More than 20 members of AMBCWA attended the roundtable discussion.
The Sarawak delegation included Sarawak International Trade and Investment (MINTRED) Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Malcolm Mussen Lamoh; Sarawak Economic Planning Unit director Datu Abdullah Zaidel; MINTRED acting permanent secretary Dzulkornain Masron, MINTRED advisor Datuk Naroden Majais and MINTRED special officer Datu Liaw Soon Eng.
Also present were the Consul-General of Malaysia, Ahmad Fikri Zakian, who is also AMBCWA Patron, and AMBCWA vice president Bernard Chia. — DayakDaily
