SINGAPORE: Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan has lauded Sarawak Association of Marine Industries (SAMIN) for its tireless efforts to promote the state’s maritime industries, especially the shipbuilding and ship repair (SBSR) sector.
Awang Tengah, who is also the Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment (MINTRED), further added that since its inception in 2018, SAMIN has emerged as the key platform and a focal point for the promotion, development, advancement and discussion of the maritime industries in Sarawak whose socio-economic growth and prosperity depended heavily on this very important industry.
He said this following an official visit by him and several MINTRED officers to SAMIN’s Sarawak Pavilion, supported by Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore at Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) Exhibition here recently.
“SAMIN’s effort, enthusiasm and commitment in putting Sarawak on the international SBSR map, highlighting the strong state government support, favourable location, good infrastructures and resourceful, experienced and capable human capital in the SBSR sector.
“I also emphasise that the maritime industries have what it takes to further contribute to the state’s GDP by way of attracting investments, promoting infrastructure development, nurturing human capital growth especially in highly-skilled areas and encouraging the use of high technologies, including in Industry 4.0.
“These, along with promoting sustainable development, are in line with the Sarawak state government’s aspiration to promote non-resource based economic activities to boost socio-economic growth in the state,” he added.
He then stated that SBSR sector was earmarked as one of the non-resources based clusters capable of generating value adding, high income, innovation driven and technology and knowledge based activities to promote Sarawak’s economic growth.
In the meantime, SAMIN president, Dr Renco Yong reiterated the association’s commitment to be the focal point to promote Sarawak’s marine industries and champion the cause of promoting the maritime industries in the state, especially its SBSR sector.
“To this end, SAMIN is ever grateful to the continuous support given by MINTRED especially to Awang Tengah for his keen attention to SAMIN and to his officers at MINTRED for their efforts in promoting and developing the marine industries in Sarawak,” he said.
He added that SAMIN was thankful for the support given by MINTRED to ensure that activities at shipyards in the state were not disrupted during the Movement Control Order.
“This was instrumental to the fulfilment of the target of full economic recover outlined in Sarawak’s Post COVID-19 Development Goals 2030 (PCDS 2030)”, he pointed out.
