Abang Johari cutting the ribbon to symbolically officiate the opening of Statos. Looking on are Uggah (fourth left), Masing (right), Abdul Karim (third left), Lee (second left) and others.
SINGAPORE: The Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (Statos) will serve as a one-stop centre for investment and businesses as well as tourism players in Singapore to learn more about Sarawak on a daily basis.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the setting up of the office here is one of the strategies undertaken by the Sarawak government to explore the global market, bring in more investments, promote trade and attract more tourists to Sarawak.
“Statos will facilitate Sarawak’s trade in creating a comprehensive and up to date database on the list of importers from Singapore and exporters from Sarawak; and to undertake analysis on trade which includes information on market trends, market alert, trade statistics, trade leads from various sources,” he told a press conference after officiating at the soft opening of Statos office at Robinson Road here today.
Apart from that, he said Statos will also be facilitating on the state’s tourism by creating a complete database on Sarawak tourism products and activities; undertake analysis on tourism trends and tourist preference and expenditure pattern in Singapore and globally.
It would also develop marketing strategies to attract more tourists to Sarawak through the formulation of innovative product packages, attractive incentives, facilitate engagement with travel agents, tour operators, airlines, hotels, restaurant and tour guides.
He pointed out that the establishment of Statos is timely and critical to leverage on Singapore’s strategic position as the global trade hub and gateway for Sarawak products to the global market, and to tap into the huge Singapore market with a total trade volume of SGD$1.1 trillion and Gross Domestic Product of SGD$487.1 billion in 2018.
He also hoped that through Statos, the state’s export market to Singapore will increase by at least 30 per cent between 2019 to 2020.
“With this facility available in Singapore and also through collaboration with the Singapore business community, I believe within two years we can target about 30 per cent in terms of our export to Singapore.”
Abang Johari taking a closer look at a woven handbag on display at Statos. With him is Abdul Karim.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari said the Sarawak government will also be setting up a similar trade and tourism office in Pontianak, West Kalimantan and Brunei.
“Hopefully the office in Pontianak can be established within this year.
“We are currently identifying the location there,” he said, adding that the state’s trade with Kalimantan has also increased particularly in terms of medical tourism.
Around 100 invited guests from Sarawak and Singapore attended the event, including Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin and Statos chief executive officer Chew Chang Guan.