By Salawati Haji Yahya –
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 17 OCT – The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (KSSUP) through the Forestry Department has organized the Brunei Darussalam Wood Products Expo in conjunction with International Forest Day 2024 for four days starting today.
The expo held at One City was inaugurated by the Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin as the guest of honor of the event.
Also present at the opening ceremony were Permanent Secretary at KSSUP, Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab and Deputy Permanent Secretary at KSSUP, Dayang Noralinda binti Haji Ibrahim.
At the opening of the expo, the Acting Director of Forestry, Awang Reni bin Haji Yahya as chairman of the council, among others shared the main objective of the expo to promote timber products produced by local companies.
The objective is to provide an approach to the public about high quality local timber products; business matching between timber entrepreneurs; highlighting local wood downstream products for sale in furniture stores and to promote the production of local wood products.
The ceremony then witnessed the inauguration of the expo and the launch of the logo Brunei Wood Product by the guest of honor.
Use of the logo Brunei Wood Product is an initiative of the Forestry Department in introducing locally produced wood products and giving an approach to the public about high quality local wood products.
He further said, “With the use of this logo, it will be able to raise the image of local timber products at the national and international level, with emphasis placed on the use of wood materials supplied from sustainable forest sources and whose sources can be traced.”
He also explained that in an effort to promote the production of quality and creative local wooden furniture products, the Forestry Department also continues to organize furniture making competitions.
“This competition focuses on products related to the use of schools and classrooms,” he explained.
In addition to sharing, the competition is divided into two categories, category A is for the manufacture of a set of chairs and tables for students which is open to board manufacturing companies and downstream timber companies registered in the Forestry Department.
“While Category B involves making sets of cupboards or bookshelves that are open to micro-entrepreneurs of local wood products,” he added.
At the event, Yang Berhormat Dato visited the exhibition stands from the Forestry Department, Brunei Economic Development Board (LKEB), Bank Usahawan and local wood product manufacturing companies that participated in the expo, which was 21 companies.
Also on display were local wooden furniture products that competed for the Wooden Furniture Making Competition in conjunction with International Forest Day 2024 organized by the Forestry Department, KSSUP.
The prize giving ceremony for the wooden furniture making competition will be held on October 19.
