Premier: Sarawak to set up trade, tourism office in Brunei this year

0

Abang Johari (third right) receives assorted fruits from Miri mayor Adam Yii to symbolically officiate the ceremony. Also seen are from left (Sim, Huang, Lee and Chan).

MIRI (Jan 26): Sarawak will set up its own trade and tourism office in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei by this year, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

According to him, the Brunei government and the Sultan of Brunei have approved for the construction of the office during a meeting in the neighbouring country recently.

“We have identified the space for the office building and this year we will have our own trade and tourism office in Bandar Seri Begawan.

“With that, I hope the people of Miri can work with them and then we are going to enhance our bilateral economic cooperation, between Brunei and Malaysia but the key is still Sarawak,” he said in his speech during the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Miri Division Chinese New Year dinner at Mega Hotel here last night.

Abang Johari said among the areas that Brunei and Malaysia can work on together are hydro energy and upgrading of Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Centres (CIQs) which will help in giving a big flow of trade and business between Miri and Brunei as well as other markets.

“Therefore, I would like to urge the local people in Miri, those who have land, to go into smart agriculture and you produce food, agricultural products and Brunei is willing to gather between Brunei business people and our side and then of course they are willing to do marketing particularly in halal market.

“With our trade office in Bandar Seri Begawan as our contact point, together with Brunei government, we can extend our products to the world market.

“So those who are good in agriculture, I think it is time now for us to do smart farming because the market is there.

“Let us work together for Sarawak, preserve our unity and at the same time we have to explore new opportunities, new ideas for us to propel as a developed Sarawak with high income economy by the year 2030,” he added.

Also present at the dinner were Deputy Premier Dato Sri Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian, state Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, SUPP honorary president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, state Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, organising chairman Cr Vincent Huang and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component party leaders.