By Nur Ashikin Louis and Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Feb 13: Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg dreams of seeing Sarawak-made designs incorporated in the construction of cars and airplanes.
He said this is not impossible as Sarawakian designers can take the inspiration from how Japan’s carmakers were able to overtake the Europeans in the automotive market.
“If you study any business corporation on why Japanese cars could overtake European cars in terms of market position, (it is) because the Japanese are very innovative with respect to the Europeans (who) are a bit behind the Japanese. That is why Toyota and Nissan are there in the automotive industry.
“I think the same goes with furniture because in the car, you also need designs of wood-based products in the car. In other words, if you have designers from Sarawak who can innovate and have certain imagination, perhaps in our automotive industry, the interior design (of the car) has something to do with design from Sarawak, at least on the dashboard (part).
“If you can do it for the car, you can also do it for the plane,” he said during the opening ceremony for Sarawak Design Week held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
He further explained that the timber industry is not limited to just chair and table design, but the whole spectrum of design is needed in the market.
“That is where our designers must go beyond the conventional designs,” he added.
Among those present were Deputy Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) general manager Datu Hashim Bojet, Sarawak Design Centre (Saradec) chairman Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais and Saradec chief executive officer Dayang Nena Abang Bruce. — DayakDaily
