KUCHING, June 23 ― Sarawak welcomes all investors to the state, especially in the manufacturing sector, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

According to Awang Tengah, Sarawak is well-positioned to welcome investors as it remains among one of the most popular investment destinations in Malaysia as the world gradually recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.

"As you are aware, the Sarawak government has implemented the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 to ensure that our economic development is not hampered by the pandemic.

"Six economic sectors have been identified to spearhead this growth, including contribution from the manufacturing sector towards expected GDP growth of six to eight per cent per annum.

"Therefore, I would like to urge our entrepreneurs to be proactive to grab the opportunities created through the various initiatives of the government and leverage technology and innovation to achieve greater growth and success,” he said.

Awang Tengah said this in a text speech read by Deputy Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment Datuk Malcolm Mussen Lamoh when officiating at the launching of the Premier of Sarawak Industry Excellence Awards (PSIEA) 2023 at a hotel here yesterday.

On the event, Awang Tengah, who is also Minister for International Trade, Industry and Investment, said it is appropriate as most of the business establishments in Malaysia as well as in Sarawak, are entrepreneurs operating as small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

SMEs, he said, form the backbone of our economy and contribute up to 98.5 per cent of the total business establishments in the state, contributing significantly to employment opportunities and economic activities.

"I would like to thank SBF for the continuous commitment to organise the PSIEA.

"This programme plays a big role in promoting and elevating organisational excellence strategic initiative, and I would like to take this opportunity to encourage more SMEs to participate in PSIEA 2023.

"The state government will continue to support PSIEA and I hope that SBF can continue to organise the PSIEA for many years to come and in doing so, continue to strengthen the business community in Sarawak,” he said.

Meanwhile, SBF president Dato Sri Abang Abdul Karim Tun Openg said the awards ceremony is held every two years, starting from 2017, and the participating organisations of the PSIEA will have the opportunity to represent Sarawak at the national Anugerah Kecemerlangan Industri (AKI) administered by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti).

The participation of these organisations will be divided into four categories – micro, small, medium and large.

Using the evaluation criteria of the Malaysia Business Excellence Framework (MBEF), which is the same criteria used for the Anugerah Kecemerlangan Industri (AKI), participating organisations will be scored, and each category will be nominated to receive Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards.

"This awards programme will identify the best practices of organisations in Sarawak that have contributed to the state’s economic development.

"Furthermore, these outstanding organisations are expected to serve as reference models, injecting motivation and fostering healthy competition within the industries in Sarawak in particular,” he added.

PSIEA is organised by SBF in collaboration with the Premier of Sarawak Office and the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) with the theme ‘Prosperity, Inclusivity, Sustainability: Advancing Sarawak Toward 2030’.

The event also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between SBF and Alliance Bank Malaysia to support SMEs growth in the state. ― Borneo Post