The over 500 seminar participants having a photo call with Awang Tengah (front row – fifth right ) and other dignitaries.
LIMBANG: Sarawak and Brunei will continue working towards more bilateral trade although there is steady increase in export to the sultanate over the years.
Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said in 2014 for example export to Brunei was RM300 million compared to RM204 million in 2013. Among the products exported were machinery and shipping equipment, boats, food and livestock.
“To beef up bilateral trade Sarawak and Brunei have set up a special committee which also focuses on other related sectors such as halal hub and tourism industries,” he said when officiating at the Food Industry seminar here yesterday.
Assistant Minister of Investment and Promotion Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Assistant Minister of Industrial Development Datuk Peter Nansian, Limbang MP Hasbi Habibollah and Bukit Kota and Batu Danau assemblymen Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Paulus Palu Gumbang respectively were among those present.
Awang Tengah added that enhanced bilateral cooperation was important especially with the setting up of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) – the fifth biggest economic community after Europe, USA, China and Japan.
Meanwhile, he urged the business community here to strive to become role model in their endeavours by tapping opportunities and make dynamic paradigm shift so as to enhance the rural economic activities.
“The government can only provide the necessary infrastructure and opportunities and it is up to the business community to tap them to their advantage in order to penetrate bigger export market for their products,” he added.
Earlier, Julaihi assured the government’s commitment to play important role in the development of the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) so that it would prosper and become major contributors to the nation’s economic growth.
“Currently, SMEs account for over 98 per cent of the business entities in Malaysia.
“To further accelerate SMEs development, the government provides various financial assistance in the form of grants and loans through various financial institutions and the relevant agencies,” he said.