KUCHING: Shell Malaysia expressed its commitment to the local communities by empowering them to develop transferable skills relevant to the local economy.
Shell Malaysia chairman and senior vice-president Upstream Malaysia, Ivan Tan, said that effort involved partnering with local stakeholders, governments, educational institutions, and local community organisations to understand and meet the needs of the local communities.
“Thus, one of our proudest example is the strategic partnership with Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (TEGAS) in the Shell LiveWIRE programme in Sarawak, which has helped many budding entrepreneurs to develop successful businesses,” he said during the Shell LiveWIRE Sarawak 2021 Award Ceremony at TEGAS Digital Village today.
The Shell LiveWIRE, he said, was Shell’s flagship enterprise development programme and it promoted entrepreneurship and aimed to stimulate local economies and promote economic diversification through innovation, and meaningful employment.
“In Sarawak, we introduced the programme in 2016 and we are proud to announce that to date, we have invested over RM3 million in organising the programme, awarded approximately RM400,000 in start-up grants and trained over 400 budding entrepreneurs in Sarawak, who have become successful business owners,” he said.
Tan said Shell Malaysia would stay committed to empowering local Sarawakian entrepreneurs through the programme despite the COVID-19 pandemic setbacks.
“For last year, the programme attracted over 40 Sarawakians, and today (March 14), we are announcing the top five winners from Sarawak where each will awarded with a start-up fund of RM10,000 from Shell and an additional RM5,000 from TEGAS.
“Apart from cash grants to boost their new businesses, they will also get a year of business coaching to guide them,” he added.
He also took the opportunity to share about the global Shell LiveWIRE programme, which is known as Top Ten Innovators Awards.
“In the previous Top Ten Innovators in 2018, two successful Sarawakian entrepreneurs were selected to represent Malaysia and we are so proud of Sarawakian finalist Jeff Wee of WormingUp who was crowned as the global winner in the Retail Supply Chain category.
“Thus, I would like to see more persons from Sarawak like Jeff Wee. And with the support of TEGAS, the Sarawak government and the conducive business environment available, I am confident that many Sarawak LiveWIRE almuni will be able to make us proud,” said Tan.
