KUCHING, Nov 12: Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and Arrow Medsource Group (AMG), a North American health care supply chain management company and its North American high profile partners today met with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg for a briefing on the Sarawak Medical Innovation and Technology Hub (SMITH).
SEDC in a statement today said SMITH is a medical innovation manufacturing hub formed by SEDC, along with several high-profile global partners aimed at including Sarawak to be one of the important solutions to the global medical supply chain issues.
SMITH aims to bring medical manufacturing strength in Sarawak from foundationally needed medical supplies to high end surgical products manufacturing, and this project is expected to strengthen the region’s job creation in the medical field as well as to bring much needed medical resources to the region.
When SEDC Energy saw this opportunity in May 2021, they utilised the strength of Sarawak’s renewable energy, petrochemical capability and other fundamental strengths and attracted the attention of global key stakeholders in the health sciences.
Following that, SEDC Energy entered into a Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) with the stakeholders to continue to take the project to the next level.
“We are expecting our key partners to visit Sarawak very soon to expedite the development of this project,” said SEDC Energy chief executive officer (CEO) Robert Hardin.
Meanwhile, CEO of Arrow Medsource Group from North America Kevin Teng, said the stability of the State, as well as its vision has given them the confidence to implement the project.
“This will be one of many milestones that we will execute in the next coming months,” said Teng.
The chief minister has expressed his support for the project, indicating that this will spur new industries in Sarawak.
He also expressed thanks to SEDC for the continuous development of Sarawak and for bringing new opportunities to the region.
Also present were Director of Economic Planning Unit Sarawak, Datu Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel, SEDC’s chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr Abdul Aziz Dato Husain and SEDC general manager Abdul Hadi Datuk Abdul Kadir. — DayakDaily
