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Sarawak taps Japan for aviation, aerospace investment opportunities
Awang Tengah (centre) receiving a souvenir from the Japanese hosts.
KUCHING (Aug 14): Sarawak is seeking to strengthen ties with Japan through potential investments in the aviation and aerospace sector, including a collaboration to establish a world-class maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) hub in the state, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
Awang Tengah, who is State Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment, as well as Second State Minister for Natural Resource and Urban Development, revealed the plans after meeting officials from Japan's Civil Aviation Division under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in Tokyo yesterday (Aug 13).
During the visit, he also led the Sarawak delegation in discussions with senior executives from Airport Facilities Co Ltd, Airport Facilities Asia Pte Ltd, and JALUX Inc.
'During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on Sarawak's strategic advantages for aviation investment, including its growing air connectivity, central location in Southeast Asia, and strong support for high-value industries,' his office said in a statement.
During the meeting, Awang Tengah emphasised that the Sarawak government is committed to providing a conducive environment for foreign investors through competitive incentives, skilled workforce development, and strategic infrastructure investments.
He added that the engagement in Tokyo was part of Sarawak's broader mission in Japan to enhance trade, investment, and technology partnerships across key sectors, reinforcing the state's role as a dynamic gateway to Asean.
Among the Sarawak delegate members were State Deputy Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment Datuk Dr Malcolm Mussen Lamoh; State Financial Secretary Dato Sri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar; Permanent Secretary to the State Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment Dzulkornain Masron; Deputy Permanent Secretary to the State Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication Syed Mohamad Fauzi Shahab; Land Custody and Development Authority manager Datu Zaidi Mahdi; Invest Sarawak CEO Timothy Ong; Sarawak Multimedia Authority Chief Scientist and Chief Advisor Prof Jugdutt Singh; and Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Tokyo Director Izran Abdullah. aviation Awang Tengah investment Japan
