KUCHING: In tandem with its aspiration to become a developed state by 2030, the state government has set a target of RM8 billion in export value of timber and timber products.
Urban Development and Resources Assistant Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh said the state government hopes the industry players would rise to this challenge and explore further the development of the state’s timber products to achieve the target.
“This is a very tall order, but at least we have set a target in which each and every one of us has a role to play to ensure that we can achieve it,” he said when officiating at the Engineered Timber Products Seminar 2020 at a hotel here, on Monday (Dec 7).
Len Talif said one of the potential products that need to be developed further is engineered timber, as the world market for engineered timber is projected to be valued at $41.27 billion by 2022.
“It is a huge market which we should participate in. There is still huge potential for us to develop and explore these products, particularly using timber from planted forest,” he added.
To develop this product, he said Sarawak needed to forge its collaboration with institutions of higher institutions as well as other research agencies and industry players.
“We have to enhance our capacity building in terms of knowledge and technologies. Apart from this cooperation with UiTM (Universiti Teknologi Mara), STIDC (Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation) also works closely with Woodsfield Glulam Sdn Bhd, a company based in Johor.
“This company specialises in producing engineered timber and has exported its products overseas and the cooperation is focusing on research and development to produce engineered timber using the Acacia species from our planted forests,” he explained.
On the seminar, Len Talif said it was STIDC’s approach to ensure that the state’s timber industry continues to thrive.
“In terms of exports, we have declined 20 percent from what we exported last year. That is why we have taken initiatives and actions such as this to ensure that this industry continues to grow and we hope that next year we will be ready to meet the needs of timber products abroad.”
He added that the way forward is to focus on STIDC’s contribution to the industry to ensure that it remains relevant and the wood-based industry remains robust.
“We are aware of the issues affecting the wood-based industry particularly those related to the perception of depleting raw materials. This issue is a challenge that warrants our serious attention in charting the future direction of the wood-based industry in the next 20 to 30 years,” he said.
