KUCHING: Dayak business owners have been urged to take a leap towards getting their village-level operations to a higher level, nationally and/or internationally, by utilising various platforms provided by the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (Medac).
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said there are several platforms under his ministry which could help them with financing and training such as the Malaysia Cooperative Societies Commission, Cooperative Institute of Malaysia (CIM), National Entrepreneur Group Economic Fund (Tekun Nasional), SME Corp, SME Bank and Bank Rakyat.
“If the Dayaks have potential products to be commercialised abroad, the ministry could assist them in expanding their businesses because we have the means to do it.
“From here, the Dayaks would not only grow their economy but also expose Sarawak as a producer of unique products and services abroad,” he said after having a dialogue session with the Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at CIM Sarawak branch building, Petra Jaya here on Sunday (April 4), adding that he hoped to see the Dayak community shine as a contributor to develop Malaysia as a nation of entrepreneurs in the next five years.
Dr Wan Junaidi, who is also Santubong MP, further said that the ministry is working on opening up more financial infrastructure statewide such as setting up Bank Rakyat branches in Sebuyau, Lundu, Betong and Serian. This, he said, symbolises penetration of services to the rural community.
“The ministry and Sarawak government are also planning to set up mobile banks to deliver banking and consultation services to rural folk,” he said.
He added that the state government has also offered Medac the authoritisation to use the state government’s buildings if there are no suitable venues for new Tekun Nasional branches in the state.
