Unique opportunities for mining firms
Sarawak’s natural and man-made advantages for overseas investors have been showcased at home and abroad recently, at major international events in Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne, Australia.
Abundant and affordable energy supplies, a great location and the combination of a business-friendly environment and potential access to the worldwide Muslim market are making Sarawak a uniquely attractive business proposition for a wide range of industries.
In November 2015, the emphasis was on the global mining business, as 2,000 delegates from around the world gathered in Melbourne for three days for Australia’s first-ever International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC).
The strong Malaysian delegation was led by Sarawak’s Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA), the State Planning Unit (SPU) and Sarawak Energy (SEB) and also included a team from the Malaysian Investment Development Board (MIDB).
As the great and good of the mining industry met to share ideas and do deals, hundreds of visitors spent time on the Sarawak stand. Many potential investors were clearly surprised to learn about the state’s low energy costs, easy access to commodities, supportive political environment and fast-developing infrastructure.
Nick Wright, SEB’s VP of business development, pressed home the point with a conference paper entitled ‘Sarawak: The Smelting and Minerals Hub for Asia Pacific’, while the RECODA team held useful discussions with mining leaders, policy makers, financiers and technical experts from around the world.
“IMARC is a great platform for us to exchange views and experiences with others in the industry, especially in the areas of technology and innovation,” said Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot, RECODA’s CEO. “The conference offers a great opportunity to showcase Sarawak.”
At Kuala Lumpur’s Putra World Trade Centre a fortnight earlier, the spotlight had been on Sarawak’s exciting future as a key gateway into the global market of 1.6 billion Muslim consumers.
RECODA played a leading role in the 6th Muslim World Biz “Business and Investment Zone” Exhibition and Conference 2015, the Muslim world’s leading trade and industry event, focusing on the many new investment opportunities that are being created in the Tanjung Manis Halal Hub.
There was also an impressive display of goods produced by the Sarawak Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Unit, highlighting the direction and development of halal initiatives in the state.
The four-day event was organised by the OIC International Business Centre, in collaboration with the Malaysian government and the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade.
