Sarawak manufacturing sector exhibits great prospects — Awang Tengah

THE manufacturing sector in Sarawak is expected to continue expanding in the coming years, based on positive feedback from investors.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is also Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, says Sarawak would continue its business- friendly policies to create an environment that is conducive to attracting more high-value and high-technology investments.

In this regard, he points out that the implementation of Sarawak’s industrialisation policies and initiatives has managed to attract major investments – both domestic and foreign.

These investments, according to him, have created many opportunities for Sarawak’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in sectors like manufacturing and construction works, supply and maintenance of equipment and machinery, engineering designs, precision tooling, transportation, warehousing and logistics, as well as catering.

They have opened up employment opportunities for many school-leavers and young graduates, he added.

“At the same time, our SMEs need to be creative and innovative – leveraging on advanced technology in automation and robotics, ( and also) big data, to the adoption of Industry 4.0 – to remain competitive and be successful in this challenging global environment.

“SMEs cannot continue to rely on low- cost, low-technology and labour-intensive strategies for growth,” he said in his ministerial winding- up speech during the DUN sitting yesterday.

Awang Tengah said as Sarawak’s market is small, the local SMEs must venture beyond their borders, especially in the current digital age – in other words, they must go global.

“We should also leverage on our membership in the Asean Economic Community ( AEC), which has a population of 640 million and holds great market potential.

“The objective of AEC is to reduce trade barriers and encourage free flow of goods and services within the Asean region.”

Meanwhile, Awang Tengah said as at October this year, the Sarawak Industrial Coordination Committee ( ICC) had approved 32 investment projects totalling RM8.8 billion, creating 1,740 employment opportunities for Sarawak.

He said from the figures, 11 are Industrial Coordination Act 1975 ( ICA) projects worth RM8.6 billion, creating 1,230 employment opportunities.

Adding on, he said these investments included the methanol project worth RM5.7 billion, the copperfoil project ( RM2.2 billion), and metallic silicone project worth RM0.59 billion.