By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 9: The Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and Pertama Ferroalloys Sdn Bhd have sealed a RM200 million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop commercial bamboo plantations within licensed forest plantation areas in Sarawak.
According to a media release on Friday (Aug 8), the signing took place during Sarawak Week at the Malaysia Pavilion during World Expo Osaka 2025, themed “Sustainability for Tomorrow”.
STIDC general manager i Zainal Abidin Abdullah and Pertama Ferroalloys deputy president Yuki Nakamura signed the MoU, witnessed by Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who also serves as Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development, Minister for International Trade, Industry and Investment, and STIDC chairman.
The agreement aims to establish bamboo plantations to supply Pertama Ferroalloys’ raw material needs, reduce reliance on imported inputs, and spur value-added bamboo-based industries in collaboration with local communities.
The project will be implemented in phases, with STIDC providing support in identifying suitable plantation areas, supplying quality bamboo seedlings, and providing technical expertise in bamboo resource management.
The six-month expo, running from April 13 to Oct 13, is being held on the man-made island of Yumeshima, drawing participation from 158 countries and regions as well as seven international organisations. It marks Osaka’s second-largest world-class event since the inaugural expo in 1970. — DayakDaily
