Mohd Naroden (centre) and other guests cut the anniversary cake during the dinner.

KUCHING: The Sarawak government is committed to ensuring a sustainable timber industry as a high percentage of the state’s export revenue is derived from timber and timber products.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said Sarawak registered an export value of RM6.13 billion for timber and timber products last year, while furniture exports registered RM47 million compared to RM43 million in 2016.

“Realising the importance of having a more high-value timber industry for Sarawak, the government has taken steps through its implementing agency STIDC (Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation) to implement the Timber Industry Transformation Plan to ensure a sustainable timber industry,” he said.

He revealed that major timber products exported were plywood amounting to RM3.27 billion, which accounts for 53 per cent of overall export earnings, followed by logs at RM1.21 billion (20 per cent ), sawn timber at RM803 million (13 per cent ) and fibreboard at RM308 million (five per cent).

In his text-of-speech, which was read by Assistant Minister of Entrepreneur and Small, Medium Enterprise (SME) Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais during the 25th anniversary dinner of the Sarawak Furniture Industry Association (SFIA) cum Luban Festival Dinner here on Sunday, Awang Tengah said the initiative was to ensure the industry will continue to generate revenue for the state through more value-added timber manufacturing activities.

“The (timber industry transformation) plan is to transform the current structure of the timber industry from being heavily dependent on the export of primary and secondary timber products, to high-value timber products by 2030.
“The target is to achieve export earnings of RM6 billion in furniture products by 2030,” said Awang Tengah, who is also Second Minister of Urban Development and Natural Resources as well as Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development.

At the same time, he added the Sarawak government fully supports the development and growth of the state’s timber industry for the benefit of the people, with plans implemented to drive the industry’s growth.

“The STIDC transformation plan focuses on R&D (research and development) in timber utilisation, enhancement of marketing internationally, facilitate availability and supply of raw materials including alternative materials, developing anchor programmes and capacity-building which include trained young furniture designers.

“Developing a furniture-testing lab, design studio and developing technical collaborations with the private sector and higher institutions locally and internationally are among the initiatives in STIDC’s plan to further develop the downstream industry in the state,” he said.

The deputy chief minister also urged SFIA members to work closely with the government to ensure continued success and growth of the state’s furniture industry.

“I would encourage the association to play a lead role in leading its members to explore market opportunities that avail outside Sarawak, to allow its members to tap and expand the boundary of their furniture’s market.”

Among those present at the event were political secretary to the chief minister Tan Kai, who represented Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian; Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, SFIA president Lai King Min, Malaysian Furniture Council secretary-general Albert Khoo, and event organising chairman Lee Nyuk Min.