Julaihi visits a stall at the SME Week 2015. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi.
KUCHING: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) entrepreneurs should be appreciated as SMEs are huge contributors to the nation’s economy.
Minister of Industrial Development Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan described SMEs as the ‘heartbeat and backbone of the nation’s economy’.
“To appreciate SMEs and their entrepreneurs, a lot of aid, be it financial or advisory, has been channelled by the federal and state governments to ensure the development of SMEs in the state.
“As of April 30 this year, 326 applications have been approved through a variety of grants and easy loan schemes amounting to RM148.61 million,” he said at the closing ceremony of SME Week at Kuching Waterfront on Saturday.
His text-of-speech was read out by Assistant Minister of Industrial Development (Investment and Promotion) Datuk Julaihi Narawi.
Awang Tengah added that from the amount, RM144.86 million and 198 approvals were under the Easy Loan Scheme, whereas RM2.67 million and 71 approvals were under the Bumiputera Enterprise Enhancement Programme (BEEP).
He said 217 SMEs had received three or four star ratings as of April this year under the SME Competitiveness Rating for Enhancement from SME Corporation Malaysia.
“This is an extremely proud achievement for SMEs in the state.”
Earlier, SME Corporation Malaysia chief operating officer Che Nazli Jaapar said the SME Week organisers specifically targeted more youth entrepreneurs to participate and promote their products this year.
Among those present at the closing ceremony were Assistant Minister of Industrial Development (Industrial Estate) Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie, Sarawak Federal Secretary Datuk Yahya Basimin and permanent secretary to the Ministry of Industrial Development Dato Liaw Soon Eng.