MIRI: The state government has always encouraged the youth in Sarawak to start their own businesses, said Minister of Transport Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
Speaking at the 2020 Sarawak Startup Entrepreneurs’ Competition for Sarawakian entrepreneurs today, he said since 2018, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has been implementing many policies, including venture capital for young entrepreneurs and the Sarawak Micro Credit Scheme to aid entrepreneurs.
“In 2018, our chief minister launched the Sarawak Youth Venture Capital to assist young entrepreneurs who are creative and innovative,” he said.
He said the state government has initiated these programmes for anyone from Sarawak in order to produce entrepreneurs as well as technical entrepreneurs at all levels.
“Successful applicants may receive up to RM50,000 to build their business operations. In Sarawak’s 2020 Budget, our chief minister announced an allocation of RM30 million in Sarawak Micro Credit Scheme to aid entrepreneurs with expanding their businesses with loans,” he said.
Citing on Sarawak’s 2021 Budget, Lee said the state government also allocated RM10 million to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to promote digitalised businesses and RM19 million to act as a special relief fund (SPR) for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.
In addition, under E-Commerce Transformation Plan 2030 (E-Com Y30), the Sarawak government will cooperate with educational institutions to provide a platform to nurture the local youth.
This is to cater and promote the state government’s aim to build up success in the digital economy, he added.
In the 2020 Sarawak Startup Entrepreneurs’ Competition, 57 entrepreneurs from different sectors throughout the state have signed up to participate in competitions.
Lee believed that this competition will become a platform for the entrepreneurs to communicate with each other and to expand their business contacts.
“By engaging with this competition and participating in various activities, these entrepreneurs can be exposed to the society,” he said.
He said the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the global job market badly, thus, starting a business has become a new way out and a new choice for this generation.
Also present at the event were Startup Entrepreneur Association Sarawak chairman Sean Hii, organising chairman Cr Ling Hua Wee and the organising team.
