By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, July 16: Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem has revealed that he will organise trade missions to these country once their borders are open soon.
Currently, most countries still lock down their countries for trade due to the Covid-19 pandemic which has claimed more than 570,000 lives and infected more than 13 million individuals worldwide.
“Yes, once their borders are opened, I hoped to bring in some businessmen to join me for trade missions to these countries,” Riot told DayakDaily after he received a courtesy call by Head of Mission, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia Anne Hung at a leading hotel in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
On the meeting, Riot said they discussed on how Malaysia and Taiwan could collaborate further on investment in general and in modern farming particularly.
On a related issue, Riot said Hung told him that the aborigines in Taiwan and the Bidayuhs in Sarawak have a lot of similarities.
“As culture is part of tourism and tourism is part of business, we will also explore this cultural collaboration with Taiwan,” Riot emphasised.
The Serian MP had highlighted recently that his top priority as a special trade envoy to these countries were to bring more development to the country.
He reiterated that his main job’s scope was to bring in Foreign Director Investment (FDI) from these three countries to Malaysia in general and to Sarawak in particular.
“My job as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan is to lure investors from these three countries to Malaysia.
“And as a Sarawakian, I will try my very best to make sure that Sarawak is not left out.
“And as a Member of Parliament for Serian, I am sure that Serian will also be not left out. And of course, as a person who hails from Serian, I have to do a lot for Serian too,” Riot had told a press conference after unveiling Jalan Chung Hua in Serian Town recently.
He reiterated that with his experience in the federal administration for nine years, he still has good network and contacts with government officials from these countries.
“And I’m confident I can deliver as I still have strong contacts with some government officials from South Korea and Japan,” he said.
Riot, 68, was appointed to his current post on May 13.
He has been Serian MP since 1990 and was a former Minister of Human Resources from 2013-2018. Prior to that he was a deputy minister of Foreign Affairs. —DayakDaily.
