Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : PUTRA WORLD TRADE CENTRE,
KUALA LUMPUR
Tarikh/Date : 08/03/95
Tajuk/Title : THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE
MALAYSIAN INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE
FAIR 1995
At the outset I wish to thank the organisers, the
Ministry of Primary Industries, the Malaysian Furniture
Industry Council and the Malaysian Timber Industry Board,
for inviting me today to officially open this Malaysian
International Furniture Fair 1995.
2. To our foreign guests I bid you "Selamat Datang" and
hope that you will also take the opportunity to enjoy the
many touristic sites which Malaysia offers.
3. It is significant that furniture is the focus of one of
the first ever international trade fairs in Malaysia. In
1994, the forest sector was the most important foreign
exchange earner amongst our commodities. Estimated export
of forestry products fetched some RM12.9 billion or about
US$5 billion, accounting for about 8.7 per cent of total
foreign exchange earnings of the country, exceeding even
earnings of the petroleum and gas sector. Furniture exports
in particular, have achieved remarkable increases and have
joined the ranks of the billion ringgit earners two years
ago.
4. The Government has many a time drawn attention to the
opportunities for commodities to develop downstream
processing industries in order to achieve higher added
value and export earnings together with other benefits to
the economy. In the case of timber, such value-added
processing has the benefit of slowing down the rate of
harvesting of the forests. Furniture production is one such
avenue to achieve these aspirations. This furniture fair
will be especially useful in promoting the wood-processing
capability of Malaysians.
5. Since independence, we have gone through a few decades
of exporting primary processed timber and it may not be to
our best interest in the context of current sentiments and
concern about the environment and sustainable development to
be literally only the `hewers of wood'. The active
campaigning against the use of tropical timbers has led to
discriminatory and unfair unilateral legislative actions and
boycotts against the use of tropical timber. Even though
various actions have been taken to counter these negative
attitudes, the industry together with the authorities, have
to ensure that our forests are truly sustainable. It is in
our interest to ensure a sustainable supply source for what
has become a major sector in our economy. New strategies
for the development of value-added processing industries
which can maintain or even increase the contribution of the
forest sector to the national economy must be pursued.
6. Since the Rio Earth Summit, Malaysia has taken the lead
to promote discussions on forest issues based on a proper
perspective. "Tropical forest" bashing is seen as the
panacea for the ills of environmental degradation worldwide.
This selectivity is unjustified. Actions on all types of
forest should be considered if indeed deforestation is a
cause of major global environmental problems. In any case,
Malaysia values her forests beyond the benefits of
commercial logging and is fully aware of the significant
ecological and environmental protective role of our forests.
Little has been highlighted on the fact that forests and
tree crops cover some 23.6 million hectares or 72 per cent
of Malaysia's total land area. Of our permanent forest
estates of some 14 million hectares, production forests of
approximately 10.67 million hectares are managed to ensure
that timber production is done on a sustainable basis. The
many facets of tropical forest management is least
understood by critics who may not have even set foot in our
country and yet never fail to amplify shortcomings which
appear to be not in keeping with environmental concerns.
Malaysia has pledged that at least half of the country would
remain forever green. Yet it has called for the greening of
only 30 per cent of the other countries, a percentage which
the developed countries with their excessive farming can
well afford.
7. Malaysian manufacturers and traders must capitalise on
the opportunities provided through the organisation of this
fair here in Kuala Lumpur to meet the buyers and obtain as
much market feedback with regard to the appropriate
products, standards and design requirements. On the other
hand, buyers can conveniently view the numerous designs and
product quality of Malaysian manufacturers in order to
choose the products that are saleable and meet with
consumers' taste in their respective countries. Unlike
selling your products domestically, the international market
calls for creativity, appropriate designs, high quality and
competitive products bearing in mind that serving the
customer is of utmost importance.
8. To further enhance Malaysia's competitive edge in
furniture exports and to add more value to our products, due
emphasis must be given to design. Our cosmopolitan heritage
should enable us to be more innovative in the global
market-place where numerous cultural and economic variables
determine market demand. Success in the international
furniture market demands that we fully harness the
technological skills, modern management and the essential
arts in furniture design.
9. In the evolution and growth of our furniture industry
we have to offer original and attractive designs to the
international market. The ability to create new designs is
an essential prerequisite in our progress towards becoming
an industrialised nation. Whilst modern design methods are
highly essential, the creative skills of our home-grown
designers must also be encouraged and nurtured to take
advantage of our multi-ethnic heritage. In this context, we
should strive towards a unique "Malaysia furniture design"
with which buyers can identify us with. Manufacturers,
therefore, must consider this role seriously.
10. I am happy to note that the relevant agencies under the
Ministry of Primary Industries have been working with
professional bodies and the furniture associations to
organise annual national furniture design competitions since
1988. To encourage and promote designing capability from
amongst local circles, such competitions are necessary for
greater awareness among our manufacturers on the importance
of design. At the same time, they will highlight the
creativity of Malaysian designers and forge closer links
between designers and manufacturers. This continuous and
sustained focus on creative furniture design will result in
improvements not only by the individuals concerned but by
the whole community through generation to come. The art
will become a part of the culture of Malaysians.
11. Given the growing demand for skilled labour in our
economy, optimal utilisation of our human resources to
fulfil the more demanding requirements of an industrialised
nation must now be given priority by each of our
manufacturing sectors. In this regard, I understand that
the skilled manpower requirements of the wood-based sector,
particularly the downstream processing sectors such as
furniture, joinery and mouldings, are being given due
attention.
12. I understand that the MTIB has established the wood
industry skills development centre at the furniture park in
Olak Lempit, Banting. The centre, which will be operational
in April 1995, will train operators and technicians for the
value-added downstream wood processing sectors. Similarly,
the Malaysian Timber Council, together with PERDA has set up
a furniture technology centre in Seberang Prai to meet the
needs of manufacturers.
13. The government has provided many incentives to
encourage companies to train and develop their human
resources. Hopefully our timber entrepreneurs will take
advantage of these incentives and provide support to the
programmes conducted by these two training centres.
14. I have followed with keen interest the development of
the furniture industry as woodworking was a personal hobby
of mine when I had more free time. As a part-time amateur
wood-worker, I have come to appreciate the many fine
qualities of our numerous timber species. Given this basic
gift of nature, I am convinced that our country has the
prerequisites to make the furniture sector an
export-oriented industry on a much larger scale and of
world-class standing. However, achieving this aspiration
calls for bold investment not only in manufacturing
capacity, but also in terms of upstream linkages of raw
material supply. Investments in rubber plantations which
produce both latex and material for furniture making, should
be pursued in earnest. Entrepreneurs in this field can
certainly reap the fruits of their ventures in the years to
come. Malaysia which has a lead in research and development
in the planting of rubber would benefit from such efforts
and thus be able to stay ahead of competition from
newcomers.
15. One area which I would like to stress is the quality of
the finish. Malaysian manufacturers must put in more effort
in order to achieve the kind of velvety finish typical of
Scandinavian furniture and the use of layers of lacquer so
as to get the high gloss effect. Far too often Malaysian
furniture makers are too stingy in their use of lacquer.
16. Your presence here representing the industry and trade
from countries around the globe and the keen support shown
justifies the hosting of this international furniture fair
here in Kuala Lumpur.
17. On that note, I have great pleasure to declare
the 1995 Malaysian International Furniture Fair open.
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