KUCHING – RM10 million has been allocated for the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office in Singapore as well as for the setting up of similar offices in Brunei and Pontianak, Indonesia, next year under Sarawak’s Budget 2023.
Announcing this today, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the establishment of these offices is among the slew of initiatives under the budget’s strategic thrusts to transform the state into a competitive economy.
“At the international level, the state government also endeavours to attract foreign investment and tourists through the establishment of foreign trade and tourism offices,” he said when tabling the budget at the state assembly.
He said under this budget, a sum of RM7 million is allocated to Invest Sarawak, a one-stop investment information centre to promote Sarawak globally in order to attract foreign direct investment.
“The state government remains committed to creating an ideal climate for investment through attractive policies and initiatives to shore up the confidence of local and foreign investors,” he said.
Abang Johari said the budget also includes RM18 million for the Special Relief Fund, Targeted Relief and Recovery Facility, and the National Economic Recovery Plan Tourism Fund.
A total of RM14 million has been set aside for micro-credit and small and medium industry loan schemes, he said.
Abang Johari said RM7 million has been earmarked for various programmes to assist graduates, school leavers, and rural entrepreneurs with technical skills to start and expand their businesses, namely the Graduates Towards Entrepreneurship, Technical and Vocational Entrepreneurs, and Rural Entrepreneurs Transformation programmes.
He added that RM5 million will be injected next year into the Go Digital programme to develop digitally savvy small and medium enterprises in Sarawak and assist them in marketing their products and services through e-commerce. – Bernama, November 21, 2022
