By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Apr 22: The planned furniture parks in Kuching and Tanjung Manis are expected to generate RM500 million in investments and RM4 billion in export value by 2030.
Deputy Premier Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said this is part of the Sarawak government’s efforts to empower the downstream timber operations to develop the State’s furniture industry.
“With that, Sarawak Timber Industry Corporation (Pusaka) will collaborate with industry players to develop these furniture parks.
“Such market infrastructures and facilities will be a catalyst for local and foreign investors in the furniture industry, especially for the export market,” he said.
Awang Tengah, who is also the Second Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development, said this when presenting donations worth RM286,000 to 62 charitable bodies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) at Wisma Sumber Alam today.
He added that Pusaka had set up a testing laboratory for furniture at Kota Samarahan, which will be fully operational this year.
“It will provide local furniture testing services to comply with global market standards, whether for the local or export markets.
“In line with the aspirations of the state of Sarawak, Pusaka has been involved in many collaborations with other agencies, including institutions of higher learning.
“These institutions of higher learning are Universiti Sarawak Malaysia (Unimas), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UiTM), Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (UPM), and University College Technology Sarawak (UCTS),” he said. — DayakDaily
