Call for Bugis entrepreneurs in Sabah to join chamber

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Norazlinah (left) presenting a memento to one of the forum panel members.

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Bugis Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DPIBS), a business organization for Bugis community in Sabah, serves as a catalyst for cooperation and unity among Sabah Bugis entrepreneurs towards the development of its members, the State and country.

Health and People’s Well-being Assistant Minister Norazlinah Arif said that the organisation which had been in existence since its establishment in 2016 in Tawau, now has branches in every district in Sabah.

She said Sabah is strategically located among the members of the The Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia- Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) comprising southern Philippines, Kalimantan of Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan.

Through DPIBS, Norazlinah said that its members would have the opportunity to collaborate on new and more challenging areas of business while adding on the latest development of Indonesia regarding the relocation of its capital from Jakarta to Kalimantan, which opened opportunities for DPIBS members to do business there (Kalimantan).

Reminding the members of the business opportunities in the state, she also said that the state government had provided various facilities that they could grab such as grants, soft loans, entrepreneurial guidance, seminars and many more.

She was speaking at the DPIBS Maulidur Rasul 2019/1441 Hijrah celebration held at Masjid Nurul Hikmah Bukit Padang here yesterday.

She commended DPIBS for its effort in celebrating the event.

Norazlinah said DPIBS members should appreciate and emulate the Prophet’s pbuh (peace be upon him) ‘Way of Life’, including as an entrepreneur and be successful in the world life and hereafter.

Meanwhile, DPIBS chairwoman Rahmawati Hamering, in her speech said that the purpose of the Maulidur Rasul celebration was to celebrate the birth of the Prophet pbuh and to learn about his character and leadership especially in business.

Apart from aiming at bringing the gap closer between members and the local community, Rahmawati said DPIBS was opening member registration to recruit new members and urged entrepreneurs to grab the opportunity to do so.

“The benefits of being a DPIBS member, first of all is being a more vocal voice in expressing opinions on Padaidi business issues,” she said while adding other benefits of helping each other (Sipatuo Sipatokkong in Bugis language), the members would be able to gain priority in every program, course and seminar organized by DPIBS and external agencies.

“DPIBS would be able to provide advisory and sharing services with members on business issues and the council as a one-stop center for information on Padaidi entrepreneurs and businesses involved with developing an entrepreneur database.

“There are several types of memberships: ordinary, lifetime, corporate, associate and affiliate members,” she explained.

Currently, DPIBS has about 500 members in Kota Kinabalu and about 3,000 in Sabah.

At the event, four groups participated in a ‘Selawat’ (prayer upon the Prophet) contest, a lucky draw prize for visitors, a religious forum and a Bugis food bazaar selling various Sabah Bugis delicacies.

Also present was DPIBS deputy president Datuk Alimudin Abu.