Govt to dicsuss umbrella timber grouping proposal
Published on: Tuesday, October 22, 2019
By: Larry Ralon
File photo from Bernama.
Kota Kinabalu: The State Government is looking into setting up a platform where all timber players can sit together with relevant State departments and agencies to discuss and plan the development of the industry, as well as seek apt solutions to issues affecting it. Just like the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) and Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), it would serve as an umbrella body for the Sabah Timber Industry Association (STIA), Timber Association of Sabah (TAS), Sabah Furniture Association and Sabah Bumiputera Furniture Association.
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Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (pic) said he would bring up the proposal by STIA and TAS to the State Cabinet for discussion.
“Both STIA and TAS are proposing a kind of a platform to enable them to group together with relevant State departments and agencies and look at the how the industry can be developed in the long-term.
“This is not only in terms of getting sufficient and suitable supply of timber at apt pricing for them to use, but also in resolving the challenges faced by the industry,” he said, after chairing a meeting with them at the State Administrative Centre (PPNS), Monday.
Mohd Shafie said the industry has very great potential, but only that it needs to be well managed.
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“(But) The State Government will never be able to realise it without assistance in terms of information from industry players like STIA, TAS and the rest which have experiences at the grassroots level.
“The information or feedback from them can also enable us to formulate right policies needed to enable them to compete in the international market.
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“We, as the Government, want to assist them, so they will not be handicapped in facing the competition,” he said.
Mohd Shafie said this was particularly vital now that the performance of the industry has gone down a bit probably due to the effects of the United States-China trade war.
He said prices of wood products have gone down and this affects the industry. “But I am confident this is a cycle that we see, because sometimes products like these have their certain cycles,” he said.
He also said challenges faced by furniture product manufacturers in China to export to the US provides an opportunity to Sabah to draw these manufacturers to come and set up factories in Sabah which has no problem to export to the US, Europe and other countries.
“By investing in Sabah, these manufacturers will have continuity of business and supply of raw materials,” he said.
STIA President Tan Peng Juan, when met, said they made proposal so all the related associations which are operating on their own right now will have an umbrella body.
“We think it is better to have one council to be formed with the involvement of the State Government, Ministries and agencies, and also with the four associations.
“In the peninsula we have the Malaysian Timber Council and Sarawak has its Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC), which each is looking into their respective timber industries.
“But we do not have this in Sabah. This is vital for the development of this industry and we hope the new State Government will get involved. Together we face and resolve challenges together. Without the cooperation of the State Government, we find it very difficult to resolve issues affecting us,” he said.
Tan said presently is a challenging moment for the industry in Sabah.
“The industry is very grateful for the State ban on export of logs, as the supply has slowly been flowing into the industry.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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