KUCHING (Feb 20): Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) has introduced a new vision and mission to drive sustainability in the timber industry as it remains to be one of the key exports of the state.
Its general manager Datuk Hashim Bojet said the introduction of the vision to transform towards a vibrant and sustainable timber industry, facilitating the transformation as a mission and driving sustainability as a tagline was also to coincide with the corporation’s 50th anniversary celebration this year.
“STIDC wishes to see the timber industry continue to remain energetic in the future and to dispel the notion that it is a sunset industry.
“For us in STIDC, the timber industry will never (be a) sunset (industry),” he said during the corporation’s appreciation night on Sunday.
He said STIDC’s long term plan beyond its 50 years of establishment would be in line with Sarawak’s Post-Covid 19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) which had set a target for the timber industry to post RM8 billion revenue by 2030.
The initiatives include enhancing panel industry to generate export earnings of RM2.5-RM3 billion; promoting development of engineered wood industry to add value to sawn timber from RM700 million to RM1 billion; developing furniture industry to generate export earnings of RM4 billion by 2030; enhancing green biomass industry to achieve export earnings of RM0.5 billion; and developing bamboo-based industry to generate export earnings of RM200-RM500 million.
In addition, he said STIDC is currently developing several projects on engineered wood products to encourage industry players to be involved more in high-value downstream activities, rather than to remain solely in primary activities.
He said the corporation is studying the success of countries such as Australia and several others in Europe which had been producing engineered wood.
To encourage the export of Sarawak’s timber, Hashim said STIDC has pinpointed some measures which include focus on developing infrastructure in furniture parks; as well as in engineered wood.
“We are also looking to strengthen management of sustainable raw materials from licensed planted forests and develop mechanism to utilise rubber wood in downstream processing,” he added.
Besides timber, STIDC is also facilitating the development of the bamboo-based industry through the collaboration with several universities as well as research and development institutions.
Also, in line with the global green agenda, Hashim said STIDC will work towards introducing circular economy initiatives to guide the timber industry players to utilise their resources to the fullest, including wood wastes.