Shafie (centre) with Ahmad Fuzi (second left) and other visitors during the courtesy call.
KOTA KINABALU: The state government is expecting the upcoming 16th roundtable organised by World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) Foundation next week to share many relevant inputs on world economic development, and to generate much awareness about the economic potential in Sabah.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal said the event, to be held at The Magellan Sutera, here, on March 12 and 13 is an important event, especially with the current Covid-19 outbreak, to help overcome the economic slowdown not only in the country, but also globally.
“Sabah is rich in natural resources, so we hope apart from engaging with the participants from all over the world, we also want to know where is our portion in the global market, and how Sabah can play its role.
“I believe, Sabah is on the right track to represent Malaysia as a competitive country not only because of our strategic location which is near to progressive countries such as China, Japan, Indonesia and others…but also our natural resources that can be explored,” he said at a press conference after he receiving a courtesy call from WIEF representatives at PPNS, yesterday.
The courtesy call was led by WIEF secretary general Tan Sri Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak.
Tourism sector, as Malaysia’s third largest source of foreign exchange income, he said, is another field that can be promoted during the two-day event.
The WIEF roundtable, themed ‘Economic Rejuvenation: The Path to Growth’ marks the first in the WIEF Roundtable series to be hosted locally, since its launch in Manama, Bahrain in February 2011.
The roundtable will feature four interesting sessions, namely Forging Sustainable Development: Impacting the Future, Promoting Investments During Challenging Times, Indonesia’s Shifting Capital: Opportunities for Borneo and Sabah Focus: Investment Opportunities in Sabah.
All the sessions will feature local and international subject matter experts as panellists and keynote speakers.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Fuzi said Sabah’s Vision 2025 would turn the state into a resource-based manufacturing location of choice in Asia, while petroleum, palm oil and cacao would remain its most exported commodities.
Besides agriculture, Sabah’s tourism industry has become an important contributor to its economy.
Sabah’s attractive investment opportunities, however, lie in its diverse resources from agriculture, tourism, mining and manufacturing. Thus, the WIEF Roundtable will discuss and showcase the multitude of trade and investment opportunities in the state, within, but not limited to these sectors.
The state’s strategic location in the South China Sea and its diverse ethnic population has made it an attractive investment destination.
“The path to economic growth and rejuvenation for Sabah has been paved by interests and investments from investors, both local and foreign. The Roundtable will discuss and showcase the multitude of trade and investment opportunities in the state,” he said.
A significant feature of this year’s roundtable will be a special address by Deputy Minister for Regional Development, Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), Indonesia, Rudy Prawiradinata, entitled, Indonesia’s new capital: Moving to Borneo.
A list of carefully selected subject matter experts will be discussing in depth about the economic benefits of the capital shift, its impact and opportunities for collaborations between the neighbouring countries.
The Roundtable is expected to generate much interest and awareness about the economic potential in Sabah and the neighbouring region, how partnership and the use of the right technology could help create a sustainable future, while ensuring that poverty is alleviated with the right high-quality investment ventures.
The event will be launched by Shafie and WIEF chairman, Tun Musa Hitam and is expected to attract more than 300 participants including key decision makers, state government leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs and SMEs from all over the world.
This event is a joint-collaborative effort with the Sabah State Government and is open to public.
Although admission is complementary, seats are very limited. More information are available online at www.wief.org.