Mussen (third left) hands over a Gerak grant to a recipient. Mussen is flanked by John (right) and Tuah.
SERIAN (March 30): About RM210 million financial aid has been approved for over 46,400 local entrepreneurs, including vendors and small businesses, through a variety of initiatives under the Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance (BKSS), said Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
“Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) represent 98.5 per cent of the business community in Sarawak and are considered the pulse of the state’s economic growth,” the Deputy Premier of Sarawak said in a speech read by Deputy Minister for International Trade, Industry and Investment Datuk Malcolm Mussen Lamoh for Jom Regista Business today.
Awang Tengah said the aid included the Small and Medium Industry Scheme (SPIKS), which has disbursed RM31.08 million to 417 Bumiputera entrepreneurs so far; Sarawak Micro Credit Scheme (SKMS), which has disbursed RM49.5 million to 1,689 B40, micro and small entrepreneurs; as well as Graduates to Entrepreneurs Programme (Gerak) and Technical and Vocational Entrepreneurs Programme (Ustev), which has disbursed RM7.8 million to 857 recipients.
To continue to help local SMEs affected in terms of cash flow as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said the Sarawak government also provides interest rate subsidy initiatives for special relief fund (SRF), Targeted Relief and Recovery Facility (TRRF), and Penjana Tourism Financing (PTF).
“Mintred (Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment) approved the subsidies of RM77 million before Jan 31, 2022 for the implementation of this initiative, which has benefited 3,346 SMEs state-wide,” he said.
Awang Tengah pointed out other aid included RM1.29 million worth of assistance under BKSS 6.0 for some 1,000 SMEs and entrepreneurs in the tourism sector affected by the pandemic.
“Under BKSS 8.0, a total 38.570 hawkers and small traders as of March this year received aid of RM38.57 million through their respective local councils. This initiative is to ensure that their businesses continue to operate and lighten their burden,” he said.
He added the ministry and Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) are currently selecting 500 entrepreneurs to enter the Program Go Digital Sarawak 2022 with a total aid of RM5 million for hardware and software purchases.
In support of Sarawak’s Digital Economy Policy and implementation of Go Digital Programme, he said the ministry also implemented the Digital Marketing Initiative, which provides intensive training of minimum six months for capacity building.
This includes digital entrepreneurship management training for start-ups and accreditation for digital entrepreneurship certification.
“My ministry also provides other capacity building programmes conducted physically and online to raise competitiveness and skills of local entrepreneurs. Up to March 2022, more than 8,000 entrepreneurs Sarawak were trained through more than 220 programmes such as digital entrepreneurship through YouTube, smartphones, website, social media, and creative content.
“(Other courses) include basic entrepreneurship for basic accounting and basic business management, and entrepreneurial skills such as embroidery and food handling certification,” he said.
Awang Tengah, who is International Trade, Industry and Investment Minister, said the ministry also provides online platforms such as the Bazaar Rakyat Online Sarawakku Sayang (BROSS), which recorded RM100 million in sales involving 10,000 entrepreneurs during Ramadan in 2020 and 2021.
He also said 250 entrepreneurs have registered over 500 products to be marketed and promoted at the Sarawak Product Pavilion (SPP) in Kuala Lumpur.
“For the first quarter of 2022, the ministry joined National Craft Day in Kuala Lumpur and International Women Entrepreneurs Expo in Sabah, where the participation of Sarawak entrepreneurs recorded sales of RM900,000 through direct sales and contract sales,” he said.
Serian Resident Tuah Suni said 150 participants took part in the programme held at the Serian Administrative Complex hall.
They comprised those with their own businesses or are in the process of applying for a business licence, and operating at their own premises or business incubator centres provided by government agencies.
Among those present at the event were Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus and Serian District Officer Lim Hock Meng.