ADVISORDatu Haji Len Talif SallehGeneral Manager

CHIEF EDITORTuan Haji Hashim Haji BojetDeputy General Manager

MEMBERSDayang Nena Abang BruceSenior Assistant General Manager(Trade Development)

Haluyah AwiActing Senior Assistant General Manager(Administration)

Catherine Sng Bee SeioAssistant General Manager(Finance & Investment)

Edmund Daging MangkuAssistant General Manager(Resource Development)

Tagat JimbatAssistant General Manager(Domestic Trade)

Mohd . Hinri AbdullahAssistant General Manager(Preventive & Enforcement)

Suraya Mohamad AliSenior Manager(Registration & Licensing)

Nicholas Andrew LissemActing Senior Manager(Industrial Planning)

Hajjah Eda Haji EdanPublications Manager

WRITERNorman Botes Noma

CONTRIBUTORErmi Fariza Rambli

SARAWAK TIMBER INDUSTRYDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (STIDC)

Wisma Sumber Alam , Jalan Stadium ,Petra Jaya , 93050 Kuching ,

P.O .Box 194, 93702 Kuching , Sarawak , Malaysia .Tel: 6082-443477 Fax: 6082-442691

E-mail: stidc@pusaka .gov.myWebsite: w w w.sarawaktimber.org .my

PERKASA bi-monthly ne wsle t ter is published by Sara w ak TimberIndustry Development Corporation (STIDC). All rights reserved. No parto f this publication may be reproduced in any form without priorconsent of the Publisher.

The title “PERKASA ” , its logo and contents remain the property ofthe Publisher. Opinions expressed by advertisers are not necessarilyof the Publisher or Editor.

C O N T E N T S PUSAKA

Editorial Board

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EditorialLocal Furniture Industry Players Urged To Brace ForStiffer Competition

FeatureTanjung Manis 19th Anniversary

HighlightSTIDC Organised Visit To Guangzhou

STIDC Made Its Presence In MIFF & EFE

Current IssueWorld Forestry Day

Market ReportMarket Performance (January - April 2009)

Trade Statistics, SarawakTrade Statistics(January - April 2009 / January - April 2008)

2 PERKASA VOL. 3/4 (Mar.-Apr.2009)

Editorial

PERKASA VOL. 3/4 (Mar.-Apr.2009) 3

SARAWAK TIMBER INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (STIDC)

T his time around furnitureentrepreneurs from across theglobe descend upon the various

furniture shows to source for a widespectrum of furniture and furnishingproducts. In Malaysia, two grandfurniture shows namely the MalaysianInternational Furniture Fair (MIFF) andExport Furniture Exhibition (EFE) tookplace at Putra World Trade Centre,MATRADE Exhibition & ConventionCentre and Malaysia Agro ExpositionPark respectively. Similar events also tookplace in Singapore and China.

Local Furniture Industry Players Urged To Brace For StifferCompetition

Indeed, these furniture shows were beneficial to the furniture entrepreneurs inproviding business opportunities in the international markets, keeping abreast withthe latest furniture designs and technology and more importantly, establishing businessnetworking with both local and international counterparts for mutual and long termadvantages.

The global business situation including furniture sector is becoming more challengingdue to global economic downturn. This global phenomena warrants the industryto brace for stiffer competition by acquiring good design, producing high qualityproducts, establishing brand name and possessing good marketing strategies. Thisis vital in ensuring the production of export quality furniture and in helping theentrepreneurs to penetrate and compete in the international markets.

Despite the tough time, opportunities are still promising in the international markets.It is hoped that the market would recover in order to achieve the export value offurniture which was forecasted at RM10 billion by 2010. In 2008, the nationalexport earnings from wooden furniture accounted for over RM7 billion in whichSarawak contributed RM28 million. The main export items from Sarawak weretropical hardwood garden furniture.

Recognising the vast potential in the international markets and aspiring to assistthe furniture entrepreneurs in Sarawak, STIDC participated in both MIFF and EFE.Its participation among others aimed to keep abreast with the current trends offurniture designing and to further explore market opportunities. The booth featuredthe garden and outdoor furniture besides providing information on the functionsof STIDC as well as the timber industry and furniture industry in Sarawak.

STIDC also organized a visit to the ChinaInternational Furniture Fair inGuangzhou in order to expose thedelegation members on the latestdevelopments in the furniture markets.

It is hoped that the industry wouldcontinue to participate actively in theseevents in future in order to remaincompetitive both locally andinternationally. Emphasis could be placedon garden furniture to create nichemarket taking advantage of the abundantforest resources in the State.

TANJUNG MANIS 19TH ANNIVERSARY

Under the capable leadership ofDatu Haji Len Talif Salleh, STIDChas successfully brought amazingdevelopment to Tanjung ManisNew Township.- The Honourable Tuan Haji Hamden Ahmad -

Assistant Minister of YouthAffairs & Tourism

T his year marks the 19thanniversary of STIDCdirect involvement in the

overall development of TanjungManis New Township. Inconjunction with this, STIDCorganised the Tanjung Manis Daycelebration on 9th March 2009.

The celebration among othersaimed to foster closer rapport withthe residents of this township andits surrounding areas besidesupdating them on the currentdevelopment status of thistownship.

Belawai assemblyman and AssistantMinister of Youth Affairs &Tourism, the Honourable TuanHaji Hamden Ahmad graced thecelebration. His speech amongothers emphasized on the economicpotential as well as the investmentopportunities of this township.

“Tanjung Manis has great eco-tourism potential because of itsnatural heritage and beautifullandscape. Its environment is not

The celebration marked the 19th anniversary of STIDC direct involvement in the overalldevelopment of Tanjung Manis New Township.

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”only green but is also attractive.Home-stay programme as well asweaving and handicraft making areamong other pull factors of thistownship” he said.

Describing this township as avibrant economic area, heattributed its robust economicactivities to the implementation ofmammoth project such as TanjungManis Halal Hub. This townshipis also home for other economicactivities like the wood-basedindustry, fishery, a qu a cu l tu r e ,a g r i c u l t u r e , manufacturing,shipbuilding, central oildistribution terminal, palm oilindustrial cluster, Tanjung Manisintegrated port and fishmealindustry.

The immense investmentopportunities promise hugespin-off benefits for the localsparticularly in terms ofemployments. The locals weretherefore urged to upgradethemselves in terms of knowledgeand skills in order to grab theseopportunities.

The assemblyman commendedSTIDC for p laying its roleeffectively in ensuring smoothdevelopment in this township.The completion of Sibu-TanjungManis road by 2010 in particularwill mark a new milestone for thedevelopment of this township.

Also present at the celebrationwere the Tanjung Manis Memberof Parliament, the HonourablePuan Hajah Norah binti TunAbdul Rahman, STIDC GeneralManager, Datu Haji Len, locald ign itaries and commun ityleaders.

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The Honourable Tuan Haji Hamden (3rd. left) officiating the Tanjung Manis Day while theHonourable Puan Hajah Norah (centre) and Datu Haji Len (3rd. right) look on.

SUMMARY

■ Eco-tourism is one of the economicpotential of Tanjung Manis NewTownship which is yet to be tapped.■ The diverse economic activities inthis township promise immenseinvestment opportunities for bothlocal and foreign investors. Hugespin-off benefits also await the localsparticularly in terms of employments.■ The locals were urged to upgradethemselves in terms of knowledgeand skills.

STIDC ORGANISED VISIT TO GUANGZHOU

I n conjunction with the 23rdChina International FurnitureFair (CIFF) 2009, Guangzhou,

STIDC being the leader and catalystof the timber industry in Sarawak andthe agency responsible for thefurniture vendor developmentprogramme organized a visit to theshow on 20th-25th March 2009. TheHonourable Datuk Amar Haji AwangTengah Ali Hassan, Second Ministerof Planning and ResourceManagement and Minister of PublicUtilities cum STIDC Chairman leda 56-member delegation comprisingfurniture vendors, relevant industryplayers and STIDC officials.

The visit among others, aimed toexplore the furniture market in Chinaas well as to acquire an insight intothe latest furniture exhibits. The visitwas timely in motivating andenhancing innovative efforts amongthe participants.

Well known as Asia’s FurnitureSourcing Centre, the show involvedover 2,500 exhibitors from China, theUnited States, Spain, Singapore andMalaysia.

China remains one of Sarawak’s

The visit among others, aimed to explore the furniture market in China and to capturethe debut of the latest furniture exhibits.

Although Sarawak has not exportedfurniture to the Chinese market, wesee China with furniture importssurging to US$1.1 billion in 2007 ashaving great potential, to become afuture market for our furniture.

- Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah Ali Hassan -STIDC Chairman and Second Minister ofPlanning and Resource Management cum

Minister of Public Utilities

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SUMMARY■ With its furniture imports reachingUSD1.1 billion in 2007, China ishaving a great potential to becomea future market for Sarawak’sfurniture.■ The furniture sector in Sarawakhas the potential to become one ofthe key players particularly for gardenfurniture because of the State’sabundant forest resources coupledwith its aesthetic local motifs anddesigns which could add value tofurniture.■ The furniture entrepreneurs inSarawak should place greateremphasis on furniture finishings,designing and value added productswith own brand to cater for theexport markets.

PERKASA VOL. 3/4 (Mar.-Apr.2009) 5

SARAWAK TIMBER INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (STIDC)

traditional trading partners since1970s. Over the last five years,Sarawak exported an average ofRM500 million worth of timber andtimber products to China comprisingmostly logs, sawn-timber, plywoodand veneer. However, the export ofwooden furniture remainsinsignificant. With its furnitureimports reaching USD1.1 billion in2007, China is having a great potentialto become a future market forSarawak’s furniture.

Though the furniture sector is still inits development stage in Sarawak, ithas the potential to become one of thekey players particularly for gardenfurniture. This is due to the fact thatthe State has abundant forest resourcescoupled with its aesthetic local motifsand designs which could add value tothe furniture products.

Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengahurged the furniture entrepreneurs inSarawak to place greater emphasis onfurniture finishings, designing andvalue added products with own brandto cater for the export markets. Theseare crucial in ensuring that the State’sfurniture industry remains resilient.

Like the other international furnitureshows, CIFF was an eye-opener for thedelegation members. It is hoped thatthey would apply what had beenacquired from this visit in order to staycompetitive.

The delegation also visited theGuangzhou Forestry Bureau(Department), Lecong InternationalFurniture Centre and GuangzhouFurniture Association. Businessmatching between members of thedelegation and Guangzhou FurnitureAssociation was also organized.

The Honourable Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah (seated) and Datu Haji Len (left)during the visit to Lecong International Furniture Centre.