Ahmad Lai (second right) gets the festival going by using a fruit picking tool to ‘harvest’ durians from a tree. Sharifah Rafidah is in the front row, fourth from left.

MIRI: Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) yesterday issued Geographical Indications (GI) certificates for five products in Sibuti.

The five are ‘Timun Dayak Sibuti’, ‘Daun Sabung Sibuti’, ‘Kayu Hujan Panas Sibuti’, ‘Buah Tarap Sibuti’ and ‘Daun Kelupis Sibuti’. GI is used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or reputation that are due to that origin.

MyIPO’s deputy director general (Industrial Property) Abdul Aziz Ismail presented the certificates to Subis District Council chairperson Sharifah Rafidah Wan Razali, who is also acting Miri District Officer, during the Sibuti Fruits Festival 2015, which was held at Bekenu community hall.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people flocked to the fruit festival to snap up local fruits such as durian, rambutan, langsat, mangosteen, cempedak, and ‘terap’. Thirteen agencies and 50 village security and development committees (JKKK) from Niah and Bekenu participated in the festival, which featured about 100 stalls.

Sibuti MP Ahmad Lai Bujang, who officiated at the festival, advised landowners not to simply sell their land. He advised them to add value to their land by planting fruit trees, to bring in additional source of income.

“Apart from people living nearby, Sibuti is frequented by people from Brunei Darussalam because this area is famous for its local produce, like fruits.

“I hope landowners here can plant more fruit trees and provide the best grade fruit products to woo more people to Sibuti,” said Ahmad Lai, who is also a MyIPO member. On the fruit festival, he hoped it would be an annual event to further promote local fruits.

Also present were Lambir assemblyman Ripin Lamat, Miri Deputy Resident Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusuf and community leaders.