Mussen (sixth left) presents a mock cheque of government aid to a recipient as Penguang (fifth left), Dzulkornain (left) Abdul Aziz (fourth left) and others look on.
MIRI (Aug 19): Over 1,600 entrepreneurs have signed up under the state’s Jum Regista Bisnes programme to assist informal entrepreneurs in registration and facilitate their entry into the online business platform developed by state Ministry of International Trade and Investment (Mintred).
Under the Go Digital programme to boost online business and e-commerce participation, 600 entrepreneurs have received assistance worth RM6 million out of the RM20 million approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
Deputy Premier and Minister of International Trade and Investment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said this in his speech read by his deputy Datuk Malcom Mussen Lamoh at the Jum Regista exercise in Marudi yesterday.
Jum Regista is aimed at enabling entrepreneurs, especially from rural areas, to register their businesses, have access to assistance from the government or financial institutions and be able to explore other business prospects.
Participants can open a bank account under their respective business names and activate the account online, opening the avenue to buying and selling transactions between traders, suppliers and customers online.
“The Sarawak government always aims to produce successful local entrepreneurs. If entrepreneurs remain committed to self-improvement and always want to improve the products or services offered, I believe they will be able to penetrate the global market,” said Awang Tengah in his speech.
He said the ministry is always seeking ways to empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and for the period 2021 until the second quarter of this year, it has assisted over 15,000 entrepreneurs through financial assistance, capacity building and product promotion programmes.
As a complete and conducive industrial and business infrastructure is critical for the entrepreneurial ecosystem, Mintred also provides infrastructure facilities for local entrepreneurs, including the completed RM13-million Marudi Industrial Estate where 23 lots are now available for application, he informed.
The deputy premier said the Sarawak government recognises the important role of SMEs, including micro enterprises, hawkers and small traders and the B40 group, representing 98.5 per cent of the entire business community in Malaysia, creating jobs, increasing income and contributing to the economic growth of the state and country.
To deal with the fallout of Covid-19 pandemic, the Sarawak government has allocated more than RM5.7 billion under the BKSS packages 1.0 up to 8.0 to help those affected, including SMEs.
Under 12MP, Sarawak Micro Credit Scheme (SKMS) has allocated RM100 million to Mintred and RM54.7 million has been disbursed to 1,756 micro, small traders and B40 entrepreneurs.
The ministry also channelled RM33.01 million for 436 entrepreneurs under Small and Medium Industry Loan Scheme (SPIKS), RM3.79 million under the State Government for Graduates Towards Entrepreneurship (Gerak) scheme (431 graduates) and RM5.66 million for entrepreneurs with qualification from vocational and technical schools.
To date, a total of 3,345 entrepreneurs have received the benefit of interest rate subsidies worth RM77 million, the first of its kind in Malaysia by a state government.
“The Sarawak government is the only government in Malaysia that offers this interest rate subsidy,” he said.
Also present at the function were Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, Mintred acting permanent secretary Dzulkornain Masron, SEDC chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain and representatives from government agencies involved in the Jum Regista Bisnes exercise in Marudi.