BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, June 24 — The Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Brunei (Statob) will start operations once a CEO has been appointed, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan last night.

He said he is confident that the bilateral trade and tourism sector between Brunei and Sarawak will be further enhanced once the office commences work.

"With the setting up of Statob, the cooperation will be enhanced between Sarawak and Brunei in many sectors, especially trade and tourism, that will bring shared benefits and prosperity to both sides,” he said at dinner held at the Malaysian High Commission Office here in conjunction with the official visit of Sarawak Governor Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar to the sultanate.

He said trade between Sarawak and Brunei registered RM3.76 billion last year, an increase of 23.8 per cent compared to RM3.04 billion in 2022.

Awang Tengah, who is also the state minister of international trade, investment and industrial terminal and entrepreneur development, said the state will intensify efforts to facilitate trade between Sarawak and its neighbour, especially on exports.

He also said the state government will develop a northern coastal highway from Miri to Limbang, adding that it will be linked to the Brunei road network to reach Limbang.

"The Sarawak government will also strengthen cooperation with Brunei in the aspect of telecommunications to provide connectivity at the border entrance,” he said.

On the visit of the Sarawak governor to Brunei, Awang Tengah said it would further strengthen the existing close relationship between Sarawak and Brunei.

"The close relationship between Sarawak and Brunei is very important not only as neighbours, but we have long had cooperation in sectors such as trade and investment, especially in socio-economic development,” he added.

Among those present at the dinner were the governor’s wife, Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei, Nur Ezira Mahadi, Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar Abu Bakar Marzuki and Brunei’s Minister of Transport and Info-communications Pengiran Datuk Seri Setia Shamhary Pengiran Datuk Paduka Mustapha.