KUCHING: The Muar Furniture Association (MFA) members are urged to seriously consider spreading their wings to Sarawak to catalyse the development of the furniture industry here.
The call was made by Deputy Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan during a courtesy visit by MFA to convey their keen interest to invest in the proposed furniture parks in Sarawak at Wisma Sumber Alam on Thursday (Aug 25).
MFA with approximately 800 furniture manufacturers, is the largest furniture hub in Malaysia which contributes more than RM7 billion and 60 per cent of the national export earnings of RM12.7 billion in 2021.
“We have enabling factors such as industrial land, competitive electricity and water tariff, friendly business policies, stability, abundant supply of renewable and sustainable timber from forest plantations, and good infrastructure.
“These could help reduce your production costs. It augurs well with the State Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 to promote high value-added timber industry utilising resources from planted forests to generate annual export earnings of RM8 billion by 2030,” said Awang Tengah.
On the visits, the eighteen-member MFA delegation led by its president Steve Ong was on a fact-finding mission to Sarawak on Aug 24 to Aug 27 to explore investment opportunities and business prospects of the proposed furniture parks in Sarawak.
Engagement sessions with STIDC, Sarawak Timber Association (STA), and Sarawak Furniture Industry Association (SFIA) were conducted in conjunction with their visit.
It was for MFA to understand the policies, incentives, costs, and resources offered to furniture manufacturers in Sarawak.
The delegates also took the opportunity to visit the proposed furniture park sites in Demak Laut and Tanjung Manis.
Also present at the meetings were the general manager of STIDC Datuk Hashim Bojet, chief executive officer of STA Annie Ting, and president of SFIA Leo Chiang Kok Sze.
