Sarawak Entrepreneurs Told To Venture Abroad

**Admin** Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:05 am

KUCHING, April 12 (Bernama) -- Entrepreneurs in Sarawak should
export their products and services to overseas markets rather than just
focusing on the state or Peninsular Malaysia, said Deputy International
Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir.

He said Sarawak entrepreneurs had certain inherent strengths and
advantages and that they should go to international markets like
Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei.

"They can ship their
products or market the services to these neighbouring countries as they
are a ready market for Sarawak-made products," he told Bernama after
visiting the Micro-Financing Open Day, jointly organised by SME
Corporation Malaysia and Sarawak's Ministry of Industrial Development
here today.

Mukhriz also urged entrepreneurs in Sarawak to be
involved in programmes organised by Miti and its agencies to enable them
to expand into new markets.

"Sarawak has much to offer and it is
now our task to facilitate on how to penetrate new export markets which
is a specialty of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation
(Matrade)," he said.

Mukhriz said that although Sarawak was
moving on the right track to expand its markets, there was still ample
room for expansion, for example in the services sector whereby Sarawak
could be a great contributor in terms of tourism revenue.

"Sarawak
has a very special attraction that you cannot find anywhere else.
Because of its size, Sarawak needs more variety to expand not only
concerning the natural environment but also the cultural.

"We can
also look to Sarawak as a place to expand agriculture as it already has
rice growing areas. The role of Kedah for long time as the rice bowl of
Malaysia will be taken over by Sarawak because of its land size," he
said.

Mukriz said Sarawak had the potential to become an exporter
of agricultural products as other states were running out of land for
further expansion.

He also pointed out the vital role played by
the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), where renewable energy
as a new focus for Sarawak, would contribute greatly in moving Malaysia
towards Vision 2020 (developed nation status). -- BERNAMA