POSITIVE RESPONSE: Abang Johari (left) and Christiandy (centre) looking at the model project of MJC Development Sdn Bhd, while the group’s senior manager of property development, Pui Co Ting (right) explains further.
KUCHING: Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) foresees vast cross-border business opportunities between the state and West Kalimantan (Kalbar) that will generate impact to the economic development for the people in both regions should it be carried out.
The successful business mission to Kalbar, led by the Minister of Housing Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg from October 6 to 9, had opened up the opportunities for future business matching between Sarawak and its counter parts in Pontianak.
Organised by SCCI, the Sarawak Business Expo had attracted as much as 50,000 visitors expressing their interest in Sarawak. About 150 delegates and exhibitors from different industries participated in the business mission.
“It was the biggest held by SCCI so far and we will be doing this every two years,” said SCCI president Datuk Abang Karim Tun Openg.
“Comparing now with what it was twenty years back, the major rapid development of Kalbar in terms of economic growth and businesses have proven that they have rationalised their political process. There is a bit of autonomy given to the province in terms of decision-making as well as retaining certain considerable percentage of revenue,” he told The Borneo Post in a recent interview.
He further pointed out that the political transformation of the region had somehow given the people more power to to decide.
“I believe the government of Indonesia is now very much concerned on how to bring about more development in the region. They are now striving for cross-border industries cooperation opportunities with Sarawak,” said Abang Karim. SCCI recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kalbar, indicating that both regions should work together in order to move the economy forward. SCCI was represented by Abang Karim while Kalbar was represented by its vice governor, Christiandy Sanjaya.
BILATERAL INVESTMENTS: Abang Karim (right) attends the press conference on Sarawak Business Expo in Pontianak.
“This is something that can bring us together and at the same time, solve any problems that we may face between the two regions vis-a-vis for us to come here and for them to go to Sarawak. Now is the time for private sectors to come forward and find out and explore the opportunities to work together,” said Abang Karim.
During the expo, investors from Kalbar had expressed interest in cooperating with businessmen from Sarawak on the industries front. One of them was the producer of aloe vera products based in Kalbar.
“They are good in planting aloe vera and they have the products but in terms of commercialising and marketing, they are quite slow because the market is limited there.
“They further express their interest that Sarawak players should come in and tap on these opportunities. In many cases, they do not have much choice to export except through Sarawak, given that the state have much more facilities and infrastructure to move the business,” highlighted Abang Karim.
On the other hand, interested parties should also look towards business tourism and property as there were quite a lot of middle class investors who were ready to invest in Sarawak.
In the meantime, there were also a lot of people enquiring for medical tourism packages as seen during the three-day event.
“Kalbar is looking forward to our cooperation in certain areas,” Abang Karim pointed out.
“We also have our understanding with our counterparts here that next year they will try to replicate what we are doing here. I have also indicated to the governor representative that if Kalbar comes out with a plan to go to Sarawak next year, he should lead the delegations to show the commitment and support. This is something that we can work together under the umbrella of SCCI,” he added.