11/05/2012 (Bernama) - The Sandakan Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC), established 12 decades ago, plays a vital role in the growth of business activities in the region.

With 397 members currently, the chamber continued to be on a firm foundation to look after the well-being of its members and is the linkage to government agencies in relation to business.

SCCC chairman Chia Hock Ak said majority of the members are involved in business sectors including construction, tourism, manufacturing, transportation, palm oil, fishery and wood-based.

He said the businesses are important assets in the economic development and growth in the region as well as create a lot of job opportunities.

"This is in line with the objective of the SCCC's establishment in 1891 by the late Kwan Nor Heng and several other members who saw the potential businesses that were able to generate development in the area," he told Bernama here.

He said there are vast business opportunities in the area and the chamber had identified huge potential in bird's nest industry, palm oil downstream processing and tourism for future development.

Many of the members are involved in these sectors and the efforts were taken to further develop them, he said.

According to him, the palm oil industry played an important role in generating income and creating jobs in the district.

Chin said future development would involve building residential estates and shop offices by several developers such as Wah Mie Group and IJM, and the creation of the Sandakan Palm Oil Industrial Cluster hub.

To meet the needs of development in Sandakan, he hoped the state and federal governments increased the allocation to build new roads and upgrade existing ones, and repair water and electricity supply.

"These are basic necessities and are required to increase the area's attraction for business especially those involved in tourism, and give positive impact to growth," said Chin.