25/05/2012 (New Straits Times) - Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said Sabah must not miss the opportunity of taking part in solutions that deal with oil palm biomass.

He said as a major palm oil producing state, Sabah should continue to focus on what to do with waste that came from the sector.

"There are technologies in place to make use of biomass, including for renewable energy.

"Industry players should work with companies and research institutions that have solutions to venture into this important segment of the oil palm sector," he said after officiating the Palmex Malaysia 2012 here, yesterday.

Present were state Industrial Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan and Palm Oil Industrial Cluster Sabah Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Dr Pang Teck Wai.

Musa said the state government was aware of the need to optimise resources through value-added downstream operations. One of the plus points of downstream operations, he said was that it boosted research and development and generated new technologies.

This would encourage the creation of quality jobs for our youths, especially those who live on the east coast of Sabah.

More than 100 exhibitors opened their booths to introduce new products such as the palm oil kernel expeller, soil stabilisation, palm oil chain, wastewater and dewatering pumps to name a few.

The trade show is held annually in Sabah, which is Malaysia's highest producer of Palm Oil with more than 160 mills producing close to five million tonnes of palm oil and palm oil kernel, accounting for 35 per cent of the country's palm oil.

Meanwhile, Musa said the government anticipated growing international attention to areas like Lahad Datu and other east coast towns located at the heart of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area, or BIMP-EAGA.

"This sub-region is gaining economic strength, and palm oil is expected to be one of the engines that fuel growth for BIMP-EAGA.

"The participation of so many exhibitors from outside Malaysia clearly testifies the potential that Sabah has in becoming a regional, and eventually, global centre that leverages on palm oil."