Spearheading the Timber Industry
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
STIDC 40th Anniversary
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Corporate sector boosts state growth By Geryl Ogilvy Ruekeith
T
he mainstay of the state economy has always been the timber industry where its multiple effect on Sarawak’s development is higher than the oil and gas sector, said Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh. From the days of heavy reliance in logging throughout the 70s, processing sector in the 80s and 90s to vast focus on downstream industries today, the development of the timber industry has always been carefully constructed. “The way the state timber industry has developed was not by coincidence. The capacity building enjoyed today was all planned. Over the past 40 years, a few giant corporate groups have emerged within the timber industry, developing their capacities and expand to the hospitality industry and construction among others. “It all began from the timber industry. Now these companies are building roads, bridges and other infrastructures,” Len Talif who is also a member of Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) board of directors told The Borneo Post. Involved in the timber industry since 1979, Len Talif is no “Jack of all trade, master of none”. From an executive forester to becoming the general manager of STIDC and direc-
Datu Len Talif Salleh tor of both the state Forestry Department and Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), the Belawai assemblyman has seen it all.
nies, Rimbunan Hijau, Samling, Shin Yang, Interhill, WTK and Ta Ann. “The success of these seven groups has been translated into what we are seeing today. The positive outtake from their success stories is that they invested what they have derived from the timber industry back to the people.” “All of these players have hotels, they expanded to the construction industry, they build infrastructures for the people,” he continued. In this sense, Len Talif explained that when the government embarked on mega projects, it could be assured that the state had companies with the capacity and expertise without having to look outside the state.
The way the state timber industry has developed was not by coincidence. The capacity building enjoyed today was all planned. Over the past 40 years, a few giant corporate groups have emerged within the timber industry, developing their capacities and expand to the hospitality industry and construction among others.
QUALITY CONTROL: A worker conducting log grading.
DOWNSTREAM PRODUCT: From 70s to the 90s, the development of the timber industry has always been carefully constructed.
Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh.
Among the main timber industry players which have branched out to other sectors to aid the state’s economic growth and infrastructure development today included KTS group of compa-
While local companies can merge with foreign parties for the more complex projects, the important factor was that the core teams contributing to the state’s development are always Sarawakians.
success: Over 40 years ago, a few giant corporate groups have emerged within the timber industry, developing their capacities and expand to the hospitality industry and construction among others.