SIBU: Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Dr Ong Kian Ming and his entourage visited a factory belonging to Momawater Sdn Bhd at Then Kung Suk Road here, yesterday
Dr Ong told reporters after the visit that the Momawater factory which produces distilled drinking water which is very good and the process is almost fully automated. The factory is also perhaps the only bottled water processing factory here.
According to Dr Ong, the factory is also a good example for the state and country that a 4.0 industry can be set up here.
“This factory is almost fully automated with high value added which shows that a 4.0 industry can be established in Sarawak. MITI and its agencies will make Moma water factory as a model not only in Sarawak but throughout Malaysia.
“And we can show to other small and medium enterprises (SMEs) how 4.0 industry can be established to generate higher income,” he said.
Dr Ong also stressed that the setting up of SMEs in the state which might previously been ignored will this time be assisted with financial grants and loans.
He added that his ministry is now gathering information on how many among the more than 60,000 SMEs in the state needed MITI’s help.
He said that he have a briefing in Sibu and later in Bintulu and Miri with SMEs and businesses on government’s programmes in helping SMEs in term of grants and loans including on international trade.
“Minister of International Trade and Industry Darell Leiking was in Kuching last month for similar purpose,” he said.
Meanwhile, Momawater Sdn Bhd’s General Manager (manufacturing, administration and human resources and forest planning division) Paul Wong said the company is currently producing 80,000 cartons of drinking water per month against its full capacity of 460,000 cartons.
He said they hoped to achieve 100,000 cartons per month by end of this year.
“Currently we are doing one shift only on a five and half days operation a week. Sarawak and Sabah are our major markets of 25,000 cartons and 20,000 cartons, respectively.”
“Our market in West Malaysia is currently at 10,000 cartons. We have exported to China, Japan and Taiwan. We will be exporting to Singapore and Taiwan soon,” he explained.
Dr Ong was accompanied by Member of Parliament for Sibu, Oscar Ling during the visit to Momawater factory.
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