KUCHING: A webinar on ‘Sarawak Furniture Designs and Investment Opportunities’ was held recently by Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC).
It focused on three key areas, including strengthening awareness and continuing to promote Sarawak Young Designers (SayD’SignersSarawak).
The webinar, which was held on Tuesday, was jointly organised by STIDC in collaboration with Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (Statos) and Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC).
STIDC general manager Hashim Bojet in his welcoming remarks said the webinar also aimed to explore and tap into opportunities in commercialisation of furniture with new designs in Singapore, as well as to attract investors to Sarawak.
“STIDC’s intention is to promote these young designers and the products that they have designed to the Singapore business community, especially retailers, importers, dealers, and distributors, which could lead to potential business collaboration.
“It is in the interest of STIDC too; to seek potential partnership for designers in Singapore to establish collaboration and work together with our young SayD’SignersSarawak,” he said.
During the session, two SayD’SignersSarawak were selected to speak on their design ideas and products.
Ryan Matthaeus spoke on the topic ‘Design is Like Painting… Beautiful and Colourful’. He also presented his two creations, namely the Kita Mushroom Chair and Bow the Rainbow Chair.
Arifin Sidek’s topic was ‘Design Creativity is a Free Mind’ and he presented his two new creations Popo the Seashell chair and Bibo collection inspired by bouncing ball movement.
STIDC also presented a paper on ‘What Sarawak Can Offer’ delivered by Nicholas Andrew Lissem, who is assistant general manager (Industrial Planning) at STIDC. It was aimed at informing potential investors of several incentives and facilities being offered by Sarawak.
The webinar successfully achieved its short-term objective of imparting important information and promoting the ability of the SayD’SignersSarawak to viewers.
It was part of several similar series which have been organised since 2019 with the aim of promoting Sarawak’s products in Singapore and to attract potential investors from Singapore to Sarawak.
These have been successfully organised as a platform not only for sharing information on mutual benefits but also as an avenue that has strengthened the trade relationship between Sarawak and Singapore.
Under STIDC’s Sarawak Young Designers Training Programme in collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and Fakultas Seni Rupa and Desain (FSRD), Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), since 2018, 26 fresh graduates from Unimas have been trained, with five of them being employed by furniture manufacturers.
