MIRI: The Miri Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) continues to play an important role in strengthening the local business sector, especially in the face of global economic challenges.

Sarawak Minister for Transport, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, emphasised this when officiating the MCCCI Annual General Meeting held at a hotel here on Sunday.

He acknowledged the great contribution of MCCCI in helping local businesses grow and serving as a bridge between the government and the business sector.

"Miri today is growing rapidly thanks to the hard work of the business community. This chamber not only helps local businesses grow, but also serves as an important bridge between the government and the business sector," he said in his speech.

The Senadin Assemblyman also emphasised the importance of transport infrastructure and logistics facilities in stimulating Miri's economic growth.

According to him, the Sarawak Government is currently actively improving the infrastructure of roads, airports, ports, bridges and public transport systems in the city.

One of the major projects currently underway is the dredging and deepening of the Kuala Baram Miri Delta access channel, which began last year and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

“This project has the potential to turn the Miri Port into a deep sea port.

The increased capacity of this port will benefit the shipbuilding industry and boost the economic sector in the Kuala Baram area,” he explained.

In facing the Industry 4.0 era, Dato Sri Lee encouraged entrepreneurs to adopt digital technologies such as e-commerce, e-invoice payments and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the efficiency of business operations.

“Innovation is the key to economic growth. I urge Miri entrepreneurs to dare to try new business model trends and leverage technology for the advancement of their businesses,” he said.

He also stressed that the Sarawak Government is always open to the views of the business sector and will continue to formulate business-friendly policies to ensure sustainable economic growth in the state, especially in Miri. -UKASnews