The minister launched fifteen booths under the Sarawak Pavilion. The Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and the Ministry of Development Sarawak (MID) led a group of entrepreneurs who are participating in the ongoing Consumer Fair.

The group is composed of three furniture companies which are promoting their handcrafted wooden furniture and five small and medium enterprises (SMEs) marketing food and handicraft products including kek lapis and beaded necklaces.

“Sarawak’s participation in this event is one of the continuous efforts bt yhe STIDC and MID to assist and facilitate our timber (industry) players and SMEs to promote their products internationally. There is a need for them to go into the global market as (the) Sarawak domestic market is small,” Datuk Amar said in his opening speech.

He said Sarawak’s main exports to Brunei include machinery, transport equipment, timber and timber products. This indicates there’s a potentially big market for Sarawak products in Brunei.

STIDC also participated in the previous Asean Consumer Fair in June 2015. Nena Abang Bruce, senior assistant general manager for the trade and industry division at STIDC, said the furniture showcase was well received. Several customers even made reservations to purchase the models of furniture the company had on display.

“Quite a few customers have approached us to enquire about our products. Part of that is because we purposely brought in our most sellable pieces,” she said.The STIDC was established in 1973 to develop wood-based industries throughout Sarawak and promote growth in the Malaysian state.