Awang Tengah (left) presenting the famed Kek Lapis of Sarawak to Awang Ali as Naroden (behind Awang Ali) and others look on.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The collaboration between Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and Ministry of Industrial Development (MID) at the 17th Brunei Consumer Fair is among the ongoing efforts to assist Sarawak’s business players to promote their products at an international level.
Minister of Industrial Development and Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said their participation also provides the opportunity for business communities in Sarawak to establish networking with their Brunei counterparts.
“There is a need for them to go into the global market as Sarawak’s domestic market is small,” he said in a press statement after attending the launching of the 17th Brunei Consumer Fair at the International Convention Centre in Berakas on Wednesday.
As coordinators for Sarawak, STIDC and MID brought along eight exhibitors – three furniture companies which are STIDC vendors promoting quality household fittings and five SMEs promoting food-based and handicraft products such as Kek Lapis, chilled satay, Tahai, instant noodle and bead products.
According to Awang Tengah, in the first 10 months of last year Sarawak’s exports of machinery, transport equipment and timber to Brunei amounted to RM381.6 million (BND125.9 million).
Sarawak’s timber exports to Brunei are mainly plywood, particleboards, fibreboards, sawn timber, laminated boards, door panels and wood frames.
The total export of timber products to Brunei in 2015 was RM21 million (BND6.93 million), representing 0.3 per cent of the overall Sarawak export value.
Awang Tengah said Malaysia and Brunei, being members of Asean Economic Community with a population of 625 million, hold great potential for trade and commerce.
Sarawak and Brunei have long enjoyed historical ties and both countries hold big potential to work together to enhance bilateral trade and investments, especially through border trade.
The minister congratulated the Brunei Government and the fair’s organisers for successfully managing the grand biannual event.
“This consumer fair has created good opportunities for Brunei and Malaysia’s business communities, especially Sarawak, to establish networking,” he said.
The Sarawak Pavilion is the largest vendor at the 17th Consumer Fair, with eight exhibitors taking up 15 booths.
The 17th Consumer Fair, featuring 400 booths offering impressive products and services to visitors, was officially launched yesterday by Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism of Brunei, Dato Paduka Awang Ali Apong.
Awang Ali was then ushered by Awang Tengah to launch the Sarawak Pavilion.
Sarawak’s delegation included Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development) Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais, Ministry of Industrial Development permanent secretary Datu Liaw Soon Eng, STIDC general manager Datu Sarudu Hoklai and Entrepreneur Development and Halal Food Industry director Samat Hunai.