Len Talif (left) receives a memento from Hamden (right) during the carnival’s closing ceremony at Kuching Waterfront. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: The promotional activities for non-timber forest products (NTFPs) should be intensified in other parts of Sarawak, rather than only focusing them in Kuching.
Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh said through this, more NTFPs from Sarawak could be exported around the world.
This, in turn, would present good opportunities to Sarawakian aspiring to become NTFP entrepreneurs.
In this respect, he called upon relevant authorities like Sarawak Forest Department to start intensifying their efforts in promoting NTFPs all over Sarawak.
“Sarawak is rich with NTFPs – I believe there are many NTFPs around the state that are just waiting to be discovered and promoted. This is why we must go around the state and create this sort of awareness of our NTFPs able to become quality products.
“There is a demand for NTFPs from Sarawak and I am sure that Sarawakians can make good income out of selling these NTFPs – if there are proper overseas channels or contacts for the Sarawakians. This is why the government is also looking for ways to help Sarawakians who want to become entrepreneurs selling NTFPs,” he spoke at the closing of ‘NTFP Sarawak 2018 Carnival’ at Kuching Waterfront yesterday.
Len Talif then related about his recent visit to Finland, where he saw Serian-made beads being sold there.
This, he said, indicated that Sarawak NTFPs had the potential to enter the worldwide market.
“We must create more links worldwide. One of the things that we can do for a start is to contact all Malaysian ambassadors around the world to help promote our NTFPs.”
Sarawak Forest Department director Hamden Mohamad was among those witnessing the closing ceremony of the carnival, which housed a total of 40 booths exhibiting a rich variety of NTFPs.
The first edition of NTFP Sarawak Carnival was held in 2016, with the participation limited only to the community within the Heart of Borneo (HoB) area.
For the third edition this year, it had been extended to include all the communities from the entire coastal areas in Sarawak.