KUCHING: A total of 35 recipients have been awarded grants totalling over RM100,000 from both Shell Malaysia and Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (TEGAS).
Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh said this during the Shell LiveWIRE Malaysia 2023 Sarawak Awards at TEGAS Digital Village here on yesterday (July 31).
According to him Shell LiveWire has witnessed the participation of more than 300 Sarawakian entrepreneurs in the programme since its introduction in 2016.
“At the recent Shell LiveWire 2022 National Awards ceremony, which was graced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, TEGAS awarded an additional cash prize of RM20,000 to the winner from Sarawak, Satok Bridge Area Consulting Engineers Sdn Bhd, and this serves as motivation to inspire more participation from the state,” he said.
“Among all states in Malaysia, we stand as the sole provider of an additional RM20,000 grant to the winner at the national level.
“TEGAS is proud to partner with Shell Malaysia in the implementation of the Shell LiveWIRE programme in Sarawak, again for the 7th year running, which aims to empower local entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills, and network to succeed, especially in this digital era,” he said.
He hoped that the initiatives between TEGAS and Shell Malaysia will support local entrepreneurs in accelerating their business growth.
“TEGAS remains steadfast in its commitment to empowering startups and social enterprises, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with Shell Malaysia to stimulate the local economy through entrepreneurship, innovation, and meaningful employment in Sarawak,” he said.
Meanwhile, General Manager of Sarawak Gas, Shell Malaysia, Choong Yen Li said the Shell LiveWIRE programme is an important part of Shell’s commitment to supporting and inspiring communities to innovate and conceptualise real business solutions that meet today’s socio-economic needs.
“There is so much potential in Sarawak and Shell will continue to support and inspiring entrepreneurs in Sarawak with the aim of inculcating innovation, contributing back to the economy and sustaining livelihoods,” she said.
She added that the programme aims to stimulate the local economy through entrepreneurship, innovation and meaningful employment.
“To me, innovation is defined as the ability of individuals or companies to explore ideas using different and successful ways to add value to the market and society.
“The success of a business is not based only on its potential to generate income but also on how your idea generates a positive impact on people. There must be a present need or anticipated future need for the idea. Innovation is fundamental to problem-solving, increased productivity and staying one step ahead of the competition,” she added.
