Sarawak’s over 250 small- and medium-scale furniture industry players face a shortage of hardwood timber, Assistant Industrial Development Minister, Larry Sng, said Monday.

He said previously the timber for the furniture industry in the state came from Indonesia, Philippines and Sabah but for the last two years, Indonesia had reduced its export.

“Sarawak, although a top timber-exporting state in the country, faces a shortage of hardwood timber for the downstream industry as most of them are exported,” he told reporters after visiting a furniture factory, Chuan Ming Sdn Bhd, at Demak Laut Industrial Park near here, Monday.

Sng said a lot of the furniture manufacturers faced difficulties sourcing for hardwood timber.

“As a result, some have downsized and reduced their workforces,” he said.

Malaysia, which ranked among the world’s top 12 furniture-exporting countries, recorded export earnings of over RM7 billion in 2005, of which Sarawak contributed 0.5 per cent.

Sng, who is also the Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister Department (Economy Planning), said Sarawak’s furniture exports were low compared to Peninsular Malaysia’s.

“Most of our products are sold locally, We need to improve the supply to expand the operations,” he said.

He said the state government would come out with plans to resolve the shortage issue.

“We foresee the potential in the industry, particularly in the niche hardwood-based furniture, so we will find ways to ease the problem.

“We will also have dialogues with timber-based companies to discuss the provision of hardwood to the furniture manufactures in the state directly.

Sng said from the information provided by the Sarawak Furniture Industries Association, the market price for timber locally was comparatively similar to export.

“Generally, it is a quicker to make money from exports. We are not blaming anyone; even some of the small- and medium-sized sawmills are selling overseas.

“We will try to encourage some of them to provide or allocate a certain amount of timber for the furniture sector,” he said.

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