Local souvenir store opens in Likas
KOTA KINABALU: CHOSEN, Borneo Impression’s Integrated Local Products Souvenir Store for state products, is poised to become another platform for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to access local, domestic and foreign customers in Sabah.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Raymond Tan observed a need to create more effective and full proof marketing tools to make the best impression and help to boost the sales of the state’s locally made products.
Tan, who is also Industrial Development Minister, added such avenues would be in line with state government efforts such as the annual ‘One District, One Industry’ showcase, launched in Sandakan last weekend, and the July 2016 launched Shared Services and Outsourcing (SSO) platform to increase competitiveness and address the marketing bottleneck faced by SMEs in the state.
“With the launching of CHOSEN in Likas, I am confident that it will create a spill over effect on entrepreneurship development in the state, aside from assisting existing entrepreneurs to gain better access to wider market coverage,” he said in his opening speech for the CHOSEN Grand Opening Ceremony here yesterday.
“Furthermore, it will also help to spearhead the growth of SMEs, no matter how tiny they are in terms of size.
“It (CHOSEN) will offer another platform to enable interested SMEs in gaining access to the marketplace for their products to tourists who visit here. This is going to allow the convergence of local product to a chosen marketing tool,” he added.
Tan said CHOSEN can be the home to Sabah’s wide variety of excellent local products such as latex, native rice wine, local fragrant rice and indigenous cuisine such as tuhau, sambal ikan perap, serbuk belacan, juices such as bambangan, ginger, pure honey, musical instruments and handicrafts, the state’s Mount Kinabalu wild Tongkat Ali, Tenom Coffee, Sabah Tea and herbal tea, virgin coconut oil, edible bird nest and local snacks such as kuih cincin, lidah and kerepek pisang.
“However, some of the products do have limited access to the wider available market. Today, local SMEs are welcomed to bring their products to CHOSEN and qualified products will be selected for display and sales here. This is going to help local SMEs increase their productivity and to be more competitive,” he said.
“I must say CHOSEN should not stop here. CHOSEN should endeavor to venture into virtual online marketing as it will allow repeat customers to gain easy access by doing online order and purchase after they gave gone back to their home countries. This is another potential area that is being promoted by the government through its digitalization initiative,” suggested Tan.
In addition, the Minister recommended that CHOSEN embark on newer cashless payment method such as using gadgets like smartphones.
Borneo Impression director Lily Xing said CHOSEN is currently home to the Chosen Latex Products, which is produced from locally extracted rubber, Que Yun Sambal Tuhau, Lameloka Kerepek Ubi Pedas, PME Ginger Tea, Tongkat Ali based beverages, medicinal ointments and souvenirs such as native musical instruments and handmade necklaces.
“We (Borneo Impression) welcome products which are native to Sabah to join our list of items that are being promoted by us. We will assist with packaging and branding should the need arise.
“We currently have more than 20 items on our list which includes rice wine, indigenous delicacies, honey and tapioca snacks,” said Xing.
Meanwhile, Borneo Impression director Caren Chin expressed her confidence in CHOSEN’s ability to effectively develop Sabah’s local and native products into household names.
“The ever-growing tourism industry of Sabah serves as a catalyst to further market these products to the world. We have a vision to grow the local and native products of Sabah into global brands,” she said.
Kota Kinabalu City Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai and wife, as well as Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai were also at the grand launch.
For further information, interested product owners can visit CHOSEN at Lot 584, Mile 3 1/2, Jalan Tuaran Likas, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah or contact Borneo Impression Sdn Bhd at +6088-276 337.