KUCHING: Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan led a Sarawak delegation at a roundtable networking with Australia Malaysia Business Chamber Western Australia (AMBCWA) in Perth recently.
In a statement, Awang Tengah said despite the sluggish global economy, Sarawak’s economic growth in 2021 was estimated between 3 to 4 per cent.
“As our economic activities normalise with the reopening of the international border, continued growth in the external sector and improved domestic activities, we have projected the economy to grow between 5 per cent to 6 per cent in 2022,” he said in his welcoming remarks.
Adding on, he disclosed that the total trade between Sarawak and Australia in 2021 was AU$1.1 billion (RM3.6 billion) and the value of the state’s exports to Australia was AU$0.4 billion (RM1.2 billion) – mainly crude petroleum, plywood and urea.
Whereas, Sarawak imported goods from Australia valued at AU$0.7 billion (RM2.4 billion) – mainly aluminium ores and concentrate.
“I hope today, we will be able to discuss further on the areas where Sarawak and Western Australia can strengthen the collaboration in business and trade as well as explore potential investments,” he expressed.
More than 20 members of the Western Australia business chamber attended the roundtable discussion.
Among those present were Ahmad Fikri Zakian, Consul – General of Malaysia who is also AMBCWA patron and Bernard Chia, vice president of chamber.
The Sarawak delegation comprised of Deputy Minister for International Trade and Investment Datuk Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, Sarawak Economic Planning Unit director Datuk Abdullah Zaidel, Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment (MINTRED) Sarawak acting permanent secretary Dzulkornain Masron, MINTRED advisor Datuk Naroden Majais and the ministry’s special officer Datuk Liaw Soon Eng.
