BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The value of bilateral trade recorded between Sarawak and Brunei Darussalam reached RM3.76 billion in 2023.

Deputy Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said, the amount of trade increased by 23.8 per cent compared to RM3.04 billion in 2022.

"We believe that Sarawak's close cooperation with Brunei will further increase the value of trade.

"Therefore, we will intensify our efforts to facilitate trade between Brunei and Sarawak, especially through trade expos," he added.

He said this during a dinner programme with the Sarawak Diaspora which was graced by the Sarawak Governor, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife, Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi at the Office of the High Commission of Malaysia to Brunei Darussalam, on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah said that the Sarawak government is developing the Northern Coastal Highway (NCH) which will be integrated with Brunei’s road network.

He explained that the development of the highway infrastructure will further facilitate trade and investment between Brunei and Sarawak.

"The Sarawak government will also strengthen cooperation in the aspect of telecommunications to provide connectivity at the border entrance," he said.

Earlier in her speech, Charge d' Affaires (ad interim) of the High Commission of Malaysia to Brunei Darussalam, Nur Ezira Mahadi said in 2023, Brunei was Malaysia's 30th largest global trading partner with total bilateral trade almost reaching RM10 billion.

She added that the High Commission of Malaysia in Bandar Seri Begawan welcomes the opening of the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Brunei (STATOB) this year which will directly increase economic cooperation between Brunei and Sarawak. -UKASnews