Malaysian furniture exports hit RM10.13 bln in 2017 — Mah
MUAR: Malaysia's furniture exports increased to RM10.13 billion last year compared with RM9.52 billion in 2016.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, said wood-based furniture constituted RM8.05 billion of the total exports.
“The United States is the largest importer of Malaysian furniture in 2017 valued at RM3.59 billion, followed by Singapore (RM790.1 million), Japan (RM785.6 million), Australia (RM710.5 million) and the United Kingdom (RM476.1 million),” he said at the media conference after the launch of the Muar Furniture Park and the Bumiputera Furniture Entrepreneur Scheme Programme (SuperBumi) in Bakri yesterday.
The launches were officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, and also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Daruk Seri Dr. Wee Ka Siong and Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
Mah said the SuperBumi programme, which was initiated by the Malaysian Timber Industry Board in strategic cooperation with the Muar Furniture Association, involved non-Bumiputera furniture companies training Bumiputera participants.
“The SuperBumi programme is a win-win situation and last year, 10 participants were involved in the programme, and this will increase to 100 in 2018.
“I am sure this programme will continue on a larger scale and I encourage more Bumiputeras to join SuperBumi,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled said Muar's potential to continue to emerge as a global furniture player is increasing as there are now around 700 factories exporting 6,000 containers of furniture monthly.
The Menteri Besar said that based on this achievement, together with Muar's contribution to the furniture exports of both Malaysia and Johor, the state government had undertaken a comprehensive initiative to strengthen the furniture sector here.
“The government's efforts to emplace all factories within the Muar Furniture Park is an integrated solution to the problem faced previously by establishing an industrial zone that is clean, orderly and according to standards.
“Following our earlier plans, the Muar Furniture Park will have around 230 industry lots equipped with infrastructure such as roads, street lights, telecommunications system, water and electrical utilities as well as high security standards,” he added. — Bernama