SEMATAN: Entrepreneurs as well as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operators in the state are urged to take the opportunities from various development programmes and assistance schemes offered by the government through the ministries and agencies involved.
This was pointed out by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan when officiating at the closing of the Tunas Usahawan Bumiputera (TUBE 5.0 2018) programme at Putra Sentosa National Service Training (PLKN) Camp at Sematan near Lundu, yesterday.
“The youths are the nation’s assets that will determine the direction of the country’s development in the future.
Hence, their development as the nation’s next generation of leaders is one the nation’s development strategies which are given emphasis and priority.
“I would also like to see participants of the Program Tunas Usahawan Belia Bumiputera (TUBE) to realise their ambition to succeed not just domestically but also as global entrepreneurs one day.
“A total of 245 bumiputera youths in the state have been trained under the TUBE programme since its implementation in 2014,” he said.
Awang Tengah added that the TUBE programme has created 428 job opportunities and generated accumulative sales of RM4.93 million.
“Among the successful TUBE participants are Shahrulnizam Samawi (Syarikat DCM), Schlastica Ana a/k Ahet (EHS Bakery), Syahnaz Bawani Bin Abang (Abe Lee Co.), Norzanah Hamdi (NH Majujaya Enterprise) and Ahmad Shazani Mohamad Ghazali (Famous Gym Enterprise).
“I am also proud to see our youths from the towns and rural areas getting involved in the field of entrepreneurship,” he said.
For the purpose, Awang Tengah explained that the government will always give encouragement and support in entrepreneurship development from the capacity development aspect, products development, providing infrastructure and market expansion.
Awang Tengah who is also Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development believed that the Ministry of International Trade and Industries (MITI) and SME Corp. Malaysia will continue to give support their support in ensuring that the capacity of SMEs especially in Sarawak will be further enhanced in line with the present needs of the customers.
“I understand that financial assistance given by SME Corp Malaysia to entrepreneurs and SMEs in Sarawak had been successful in helping to improve the competitiveness of their products and services by reducing the operation costs.
“SMEs and entrepreneurs that received grants and loans can improve the quality of their products, production capacity, efficiency, capability as well as achieving cost saving to help them achieve their target and expectations of their customers more efficiently,” he said.
Awang Tengah also said that his ministry is also offering various programmes and assistance to the youths who are interested in the business field or those already running their businesses.
“Through programmes such as Graduates Programme Towards Entrepreneurship (GERAK) and Vocational and Technical Entrepreneurs (USTEV), graduates and youths interested are given various types of assistance.
“Assistance offered include business registration, rental of incubator at Cent@Cube as well as buying of equipment and machines to start or expand their business,” he said.
Awang Tengah also disclosed that his ministry is presently setting up a Sarawak Product Pavillion (SPP) in Kuala Lumpur which will function as the gateway for Sarawak’s products into the West Malaysian and international markets.
