Awang Tengah (third left) with other guests at the MOA Handover Ceremony between LCDA Agri Business Sdn Bhd and Sahamada Corporation Sdn Bhd for the Rimbunan Kaseh (RK) Sundar Lawas project at STATOB, Brunei.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Northern Sarawak has the potential to be a halal hub for the production of livestock products to be exported to the global market.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said Miri, Limbang and Lawas are close to neighbouring Brunei which has a market and can be used as a new livestock product processing centre.
According to him, Brunei has good access, in terms of air and sea access and is a gateway for Sarawak to enter a larger market, not only the domestic market but also the global market.
“This is important and one of the other sectors that we need to emphasize in terms of livestock to make Limbang, Lawas, Miri as a production center for this livestock and we process it in Brunei with its halal certification.
“Brunei’s halal certification has also received high recognition at the international level to guarantee good income in the world market,” he said.
Awang Tengah said this at the handover ceremony of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between LCDA Agri Business Sdn Bhd and Sahamada Corporation Sdn Bhd for the Rimbunan Kaseh (RK) Sundar Lawas project at the Sarawak Brunei Trade and Tourism Office (STATOB) on Tuesday.
Also present were Brunei’s Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Sri Dr Abdul Manaf Metussin, Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei His Excellency Datuk Mohd Aini Atan, LCDA General Manager Datu Sri Zaini Mahdi, STATOB Chief Executive Officer Samat Junai, Sahamada Corporation Sdn Bhd Brunei Advisor Ilias Matussin, Political Secretary to the Premier of Sarawak Awangku Jinal Abedin Dato Pengiran Jawa, Batu Danau Limbang Assemblyman Dato Paulus Palu Gumbang and Resident Limbang Division Yunus Tambi.
Awang Tengah who is also the Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development and Minister of International Trade and Investment said the private sector is the driver of development which is also fully assisted by the Sarawak government through various responsible departments and agencies.
“Private sector cooperation in driving development should be based on great responsibility in ensuring that everything undertaken is successful,” he said.
He added that Sarawak also reiterated its commitment to continue strengthening the food security sector by focusing on developing the agricultural sector in this region.
He said for this purpose, the Limbang and Lawas districts in northern Sarawak have been identified as among the centers for commercial rice cultivation which will be implemented through large allocations.
“Food security continues to be the government’s focus by undertaking commercial rice cultivation in Limbang, Lawas.
"We have identified several areas in Limbang as previously announced by the Sarawak Premier for the Limbang and Lawas areas, RM 500 million has been allocated for infrastructure development, including drainage systems, roads and other infrastructure.
"If there is a Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri in Brunei who is interested, we can bring investments and this is for our mutual benefit," he added.
