SEOUL: Sarawak can expect more investments from South Korea if the success of the just-concluded State’s investment mission here was anything to go by, Minister of Industrial Development Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said here Tuesday night.
He described the investment mission where a principle agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) were signed with two Korean companies and several business meetings were held with potential investors as very successful.
Awang Tengah was speaking at a state dinner held in conjunction with the investment mission to South Korea at a leading hotel, here.
Present at the dinner was the leader of State’s delegation led by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem who is accompanied by his wife Datin Patinggi Dato Jamilah Anu.
Also present were the State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Assistant Ministers of Industrial Development Datuk Julaihi Narawi and Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie, the ambassador of Malaysia to South Korea, Dato’ Rohana Ramli, Nangka state assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapa’ee and the Seoul Malaysia Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) Director Nelson Samuel.
“Our visit to Korea has been very successful. Yesterday the State and Huchems Fine Chemical Corporation has signed a Principle Agreement and an MoU between the State and TaeKwang Industrial Corporation. I must thank the Right Honourable Chief Minister for leading this delegation to Korea and his commitment in ensuring the success of Huchems’ project,”
“We also have the opportunity to meet with the Presidents and top executives of Dongbu Metal, Daewoo International, Lotte Chemical, Han Kook Silicon, Han Express and Korea Forest Service. I am sure some of them will be convinced to invest in Sarawak,” Awang Tengah pointed out.
He said Sarawak have many natural resources as well as huge hydro potentials, while Korea have the technology and the capital.
He described the strength of Sarawak and Korea as a good mix and could become very good partners where both parties could optimise their resources for their mutual benefits.
“South Korea has developed by leaps and bounds after the war, and I hope we are able to learn from you in the pursuit of our industrialization agenda,” he told South Koreans captains of industries present at the dinner.
He said the State welcomes more investments from Korea, not only in manufacturing sector but also in food, hospitality and tourism sectors.
“Sarawak has a lot to offer in tourism, especially in CAN (Culture, Adventure and Nature) as we have beautiful culture and tropical rainforest, flora and fauna. You are most welcome to visit Sarawak to enjoy our sunshine and nature, especially when your weather is getting cold,” he told the South Korean businessmen.
He said Sarawak’s relationship with South Korea began many decades ago, beginning in trade, mainly in timber, oil and gas products.
In 2013, Sarawak’s export to South Korea reached RM11.4 billion (USD 3.45 billion), mainly in wood based, petroleum based and aluminium products while our imports from South Korea were RM1 billion (USD300 million), mainly in construction materials, chemical products, machineries and equipment.
Earlier in the day, Awang Tengah led a delegation to visit the industrial complex and the sea port in Yeosu in the South of the Korean Peninsula about 300 miles from here.
The delegation included Morshidi, Julaihi, Nansian, Director of State Planning Unit (SPU) Datu Ismawi Ismuni, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industrial Development Datu Liaw Soon Eng and General Manager of Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) Datu Sarudu Hoklai.
While in Yeosu the delegates were taken on tours and given briefings at the Huchems Fine Chemical plant, the Yeosu and Gwangyang Port Authority and the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation (KICOX).
Yesterday Awang Tengah also led a team to visit the Samsung Digital City near here.