KUCHING: Sixteen memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with a combined business value of about US$2.5 billion (RM10.37 billion), were sealed on the first day of the 13th World Islamic Economic Forum (13th WIEF) today.
In a statement, WIEF Foundation said the MoUs this year marked one of the largest in the forum’s history.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Awang Ali Tengah Hassan and WIEF Foundation chairman Tun Musa Hitam witnessed the exchange of the MoUs among companies and organisations during a special ceremony at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching here.
The foundation said the agreements comprised organisations from several sectors including technology, halal food and energy.
“In the last five years, the WIEF has facilitated trade deals from diverse sectors among Muslim and non-Muslim nations amounting to some US$13 billion (RM53.9 billion),” said the statement.
Among the MoUs included a document signed between state-based Sacofa Sdn Bhd (Sacofa) and PT Super Sistem Ultima from Indonesia.
Sacofa managing director Zaid Zaini said under the MoU, both companies would collaborate on the use of submarine fibre optic cable network connecting Borneo to Mersing, Johor.
“This partnership is highly beneficial not only to Sarawak but also the whole of Borneo as the network of subsea cables will give a world-class interconnectivity to Asia and the rest of the world, particularly Singapore and Indonesia.
“In short, the net result is that Sarawakians and Indonesias in Riau and Kalimantan (in Indonesia) specifically will enjoy an improved broadband service at affordable rates.
“This boost in internet connectivity, in addition to Sarawak’s abundant hydro-electric power, will enhance the state’s prospect of attracting data centres,” he said in a statement.
Other local organisations involved in the MoUs today included Malaysia Shaanxi Business Council, Noble Fairway Sdn Bhd, GIG Global Investment (M) Sdn Bhd, Resonic Consultancy, YHY Group Sdn Bhd, Malaysia Digital Economic Corporation, Islamic Development Department, Hall Amanie Sdn Bhd, Felcra Bhd, Algaetech International Sdn Bhd, Sarawak Youth Innovation Cooperative, Malaysia Association of Bumiputera ICT Entrepreneurs and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.