KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has encouraged the Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development (KWKPK) to collaborate with Sarawak’s trade offices in other countries to promote welfare micro-entrepreneurs’ (UMK) products to a wider market.
“We already have Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (Statos) and soon, we will have a similar trade office in Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei Darussalam) and another one in Pontianak (Indonesia).
“These are platforms where we can promote UMK products,” he said when officiating at Sarawak Welfare Micro-Entrepreneurs Day (HUMKS) 2020 at Pullman Hotel here today.
The chief minister urged KWKPK to work together with Statos to help build trade relations between UMKs and the markets abroad, especially since these countries had larger populations.
He said that trade relations with Singapore were proving successful, pointing out that Sarawak was already exporting two containers of tilapia per week from Batang Ai to Singapore.
“They also want ikan patin in a large volume, as well as food products including those dry food products which our UMKs can produce,” he said.
In addition, Abang Johari said that KWKPK could collaborate with ministries related to agriculture and cooperatives in order to further develop downstream food products.
“This is a way in which those involved in the entrepreneurial sector can increase their incomes,” he said.
When met by reporters after the function, he said that a location had been identified for the Bandar Seri Begawan trade office while they were still searching for the right location for the Pontianak trade office.
