Smart partnership to produce more educated entrepreneurs

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KOTA KINABALU: Strategic partnership between the co-organizers of the Graduate Entrepreneur Development Scheme (SPUS) programme needs to be strengthened to ensure positive impact on the ongoing efforts to produce more educated entrepreneurs in Sabah.

Sabah Economic Development Corporation (Sedco) chairman Datuk Seri Nasir Tun Sakaran said Sedco had been carrying out SPUS in collaboration with UiTM, MARA, SME Bank and Sedcovest since 2006 to choose20 graduates to undergo an intensive two-month course module designed to prepare the participants to take up entrepreneurship as their career of choice.

“To date, a total of 152 graduates have participated in the programme, where 66 have successfully set up their own businesses. It shows an encouraging number indeed.

“Apart from the annual RM150,000 financial sponsorship from the state government under the Ministry of Industrial Development, we are thankful with the support from the other government agencies,” he said at the handing over of certificates to 20 SPUS trainees at Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, yesterday.

He added that the smart partnership between all co-organizers and the sponsors would benefit the trainees who are involved in various businesses.

Among businesses which had been set up by the participants are processing of bird’s nests, concrete, and seaweed, to name some.

During the event, 23 students received the excellence award for their outstanding results in UPSR, PMR, SPM and STPM.

The students were children of Sedco employees who received RM250 each for UPSR, RM300 for PMR, RM400 for SPM and RM500 for STPM.

Meanwhile, the permanent secretary to the Ministry of Industrial Development Datuk Hashim Paijan said the ministry was proud to sponsor the programme, and hoped more entrepreneurs would benefit from the annual event.

He said unemployed graduates interested in entrepreneurship should start their business from the bottom and build their network slowly.

“Being a businessman is not easy. It does not mean we start today and make profit the next day. It requires hard work, honesty and responsibility to be successful.

“Financial management is also important in order to start a good business,” he added.