KUCHING: Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) is set to venture into the aeronautical industry.
Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan said the industry along with its downstream activities would bring more business opportunities.
“Aeronautical industry is one of the industries that have the potential to expand the timber-based industry through modern technology,” he said at STIDC Hari Raya open house at Wisma Sumber Alam on Tuesday
night.
Awang Tengah also said STIDC had so far ventured into construction, repair and maintenance of ships besides running repair and maintenance shipyards for ocean liners and cargo vessels with a capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes.
In addition, STIDC is also involved in wood processing industry besides deep-sea fishing, and oil and gas industry, he said.
Awang Tengah, however, warned of challenges in the form of demand for sustainable and legal timber products, adherence to standard/technical requirements required by certain markets and the need for branding.
He also urged STIDC to keep developing its human capital to keep up with the developments in today’s corporate world.
“We have to raise the bar even higher in formulating effective strategies to meet current challenges of managing the state’s timber-based industry,” he said.
He added that STIDC played an important role in policy formulation, policy execution and enforcement for all timber-based activities, from upstream to downstream.
Among those present were state secretary Datuk Amar Mohammad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Assistant Minister of Planning and Resource Management Naroden Majais, STIDC general manager Datu Sarudu Hoklai, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Planning and Resource Management Datu Wan Alwi Dato Sri Wan Hashim, Dr Yusuf Hadi and Sebuyau assemblyman Julaihi Narawi.