KOTA KINABALU: A visit by a delegation from Tawi-Tawi to Sabah will create more opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the state and the island.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam said he believed the visit was important for both sides to improve and enhance trade and investment opportunities in agriculture, tourism as well as in the manufacturing sectors.
Tawi-Tawi is an island province in the Philippines.
"I would like to inform that the Sabah government is committed to empower the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Sabah through the Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR).
"To help SMEs in Sabah to market their products locally, we have collaborated with hypermarkets and other outlets to enable SMEs to sell their products throughout Sabah.
"With this effort, we hope they will grow and further venture into export markets," he said while welcoming Tawi Tawi governor Yshmael Ismail Sali and his entourage for the trade and investment visit here yesterday.
Dr Joachim, who is also state Industrial Development minister, said the Ministry had also provided training such as including online marketing and exposing SMEs on steps taken to market their products at the international level.
Under the ministry, it has three industrial parks - Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP), Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP), and the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster Lahad Datu (POIC).
Dr Joachim added that the POIC Sandakan could be an entry point for investment from Tawi-Tawi, and is under the Chief Minister's Office.
"With the right enabling environment, I am confident Sabah and Tawi-Tawi will have great prospects in trade and investment in the coming years.
"Sabah is committed to continue supporting and enhancing cooperation within the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), and strengthen our cooperation."