TAMPARULI: Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick launched three entrepreneur and cooperative development programmes in the State.
The programs involved are the Tunas Usahawan Bumiputera (Tube) 2023, the Bumiputera Enterprise Improvement Programme (BEEP) and the BRTani Financing Programme.
Ewon said the three programmes would benefit many entrepreneurs and cooperatives in Sabah.
“This year, the TUBE Program will be open from May 7 to May 31.”
“The BRTani Financing Programme under Bank Rakyat provides specific financing to help food and agriculture industry entrepreneurs increase the country’s agro-food production,” he said.
He further said that this BRTani product would focus on the needs of entrepreneurs who require capital expenditure, working capital and the development of agro-food projects and is open to all entrepreneurs and cooperatives who are qualified and meet the criteria.
“Therefore, I call for Sabah entrepreneurs to take the opportunity by applying for or participating in the Tube, BEEP and BRTani programs provided by agencies under Kuskop,” he said.
He said this when speaking to officiate the Carnival of Entrepreneurs and Civil Cooperatives organized by the Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development Ministry (Kuskop) in collaboration with the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM) in conjunction with the Kaamatan Festival at Dewan Tun Hamdan, here, Saturday.
Also present were Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Phoong Jin Zhe, Sabah Rural Development Minister cum Tamparuli assemblyman Datuk Jahid Jahim, and Tuaran MP Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau.
The Tube programme under SME Corp Malaysia was introduced in 2014, providing training and grants to youth who want to start a business.
“Up until now, 10 Tube training series have been successfully implemented involving a total of 7,183 Bumiputera youth where 97 per cent of them successfully started their respective business operations with cumulative sales amounting to RM151.09 million.”
“So far, a total of 1,196 youths have been trained with a grant value of RM16.31 million for the state of Sabah, which is the state that has the highest number of TUBE participants compared to other states,” he explained.
According to Ewon, the achievement proves that the youth in Sabah are very interested in entrepreneurship and have the potential to generate income for the local community.
“For the BEEP Programme under SME Corp Malaysia, which was introduced in 2021, 518 applications have been approved with a grant value of RM58.22 million.”
“From the total number of approvals, a total of 15 applications totalling RM1.41 million were received by PMKS from the State of Sabah. This program is open to qualified entrepreneurs,” he said.
Regarding the programme, Ewon said it was organised for the first time by Kuskop in collaboration with the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM) in conjunction with the Kaamatan Festival.
“This programme is one of the initiatives to help entrepreneurs in addition to celebrating the Kaamatan Festival month, the main festival in Sabah, and the last Hari Raya Aidilfitri, celebrated throughout the country.
“It is also in response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s desire to create “unity under the framework of the vision of Madani Malaysia,” he said.
During the two-day event, Kuskop also prepared an agency exhibition booth to provide opportunities for the entrepreneurial and cooperative community and the local community to obtain information related to training, guidance, financing and marketing, as well as various other services offered by relevant ministries or agencies.
In addition, sales stalls of local entrepreneurs and cooperatives are also set up to enliven the programme further.
Ewon added that to respond to the government’s call to understand the pulse of the people who are affected by the rising cost of living, Kuskop, through SKM, is also holding a Cooperative Civic Sale that offers a low price, which is a savings rate of around 10 to 15 per cent of the market price.
“The necessities are sugar, flour, cooking oil, cooperative products and other necessities,” he said.
Meanwhile, A total of 20 entrepreneurs and cooperatives in Sabah received funding worth RM7.92 million from various agencies under the Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development Ministry (Kuskop).
Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said the funding involved was from the agencies like the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM), SME Corp Malaysia, Kekun Nasional, Bank Rakyat and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM).
He said two more cooperative registration certificates from SKM and a program offer letter from SME Bank Berhad were also presented to three grant recipients for the Vendor Capacity Development Programme (PPKV) amounting to RM143,000.
“In addition, one recipient of a grant for the Business Export Programme (BEP) amounting to RM200,000, making the total amount RM343,000,” he said.
In addition, Ewon also presented the 2022 dividend distribution to KOOP Sahabat Negeri Sabah, amounting to RM462,000 from AIM Sabah.
He said the organisation of the Civil Entrepreneurs and Cooperatives Programme, in conjunction with the Kaamatan Festival, aims to convey information about entrepreneurial and cooperative services through briefing sessions and exhibitions of agencies under Kuskop to entrepreneurs, cooperatives and the local community.
“The programme, held for two days from May 6-7, also opened opportunities for local entrepreneurs and cooperatives to open stalls to sell various types of food, drinks and PMKS products”.
“Furthermore, in line with the Government’s efforts to understand the pulse of the people who are affected by the rising cost of living, Kuskop, through SKM, held a Cooperative Civil Sale offering necessities such as sugar, flour, cooking oil, cooperative products and necessities others with a savings rate of around 10 to 15 per cent from the market price,” he said.
Source: https://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news/212421/new-entrepreneur-development-programmes-for-sabah/