KUCHING, April 27 : The furniture parks in Kuching and Tanjung Manis, which will be set up soon, will help Sarawak to double its timber export revenue from almost RM4 billion now to RM8 billion by 2030.
Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Willie Mongin said the parks are part of the state government’s policy under its post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 which places a specific focus on producing more timber-based products.
“Apart from furniture, other value-added products that have been identified to contribute to this export target are engineered wood products, plywood-based and bamboo-based products.
“The parks will facilitate efficient horizontal and vertical integration with sustainably sourced raw materials,” he said in a statement here, today.
Willie said the timber industry has been and will continue to be an important economic sector for Sarawak in terms of employment opportunities, business creation, and export earnings.
On April 22, Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan reportedly said that Sarawak planned to set up furniture parks in Kuching and Tanjung Manis as part of its efforts to strengthen downstream timber operations through value-added wooden-based products.
The parks will be developed by Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and it is expected to generate RM500 million in investment.
Sarawak recorded timber products exports worth RM3.9 billion in 2021. – TVS
