KUCHING, Feb 14 — Continued strategic efforts are needed to further enhance the capacity and capability of the state’s furniture industry in order to tap the global market, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
The International Trade and Investment Minister said in 2022, the global market value for furniture was an estimated US$557 billion (RM2.42 trillion) and this is expected to increase to approximately US$651 billion by 2027.
“Malaysia only contributed about RM12 billion per annum, while Sarawak contributed less than RM100 million per annum,” he said during the Sarawak Design Week Exhibitors’ Night organised by the Sarawak Design Centre (Saradec) here last night.
He said in meeting requirements to step up the state’s furniture industry through the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), the Sarawak government had ventured into a furniture design programme through Kursi Pusaka at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).
“STIDC also collaborates with Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) and the timber industry to implement the Sarawak Young Designers’ programme (SayD’signers) to develop and groom young designers from our local universities.
“This programme is also in tandem with our aspiration to produce more high value-added products for the export market,” he said.
Awang Tengah said the initiative was poised to boost Sarawak’s annual export earnings from RM4 billion presently to RM8 billion by 2030.
“I hope Saradec will continue to enhance our young designers’ capability and capacity by pursuing the strategic collaboration with higher learning institutions and research institutes both locally and internationally,” he said.
Among those present last night were Saradec chairman Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais, Saradec chief executive officer Dayang Nena Abang Bruce, STIDC general manager Datu Hashim Bojet, and Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuching Raden Sigit Witjaksono. — Borneo Post Online
