Be aware of opportunities to venture into business, women told

KUCHING: Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas has called on women wanting to venture into business to know and study the various opportunities, potentials, programmes, and assistance available.
 
He said government departments and agencies offered many programmes, including training and guidance as well as financial assistance.
 
Uggah said this when officiating at a skill and entrepreneurship programme, which was attended by some 115 women originating from Bukit Saban constituency yesterday (July 15).
 
Elaborating, the deputy premier said that with the knowledge, women could zoom in on those that were most doable and relevant.
 
“It is like you want to fish for the ‘empurau’ or ‘semah’. You must know the rivers and ‘lubok’ that have these fish.
 
“If you do not have such knowledge, your intentions will be futile,” said Uggah, who is the Minister of Rural and Regional Development.
 
On other matters, he said the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 was worth scrutinising.
 
“The PCDS 2030 is being very actively implemented. One of its pillars is social inclusivity, where there are various income-generating programmes, assistance programmes, and others for those interested.
 
“The PCDS is, after all, a strategy to increase the state’s and the people’s incomes by the year 2030,” he added.
 
Uggah also pointed out that in its annual budget every year, the state government allocates very generous allocations to those wanting to venture into business through various departments and agencies.
 
With regards to those attending the event, he was glad to note that a group of 28 of the attendees had their own businesses, including one who is a contractor.
 
“Please support each other. We now have a large number of members of our Betong community living in the city. Get to them and their businesses. Let us make full use of our numbers,” he stressed.
 
In another development, Uggah said the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) now has a programme to help upgrade those Class E and F contractors to the higher Class C.
 
“These should augur well for the Bumiputera contractors in the state, who could then tender for bigger contract works,” he said, adding the board also has training and assistance programmes to help them upgrade.
 
Also present was the political secretary to the premier Roselind Mapong Sabai.