Datuk Ewon Benedick said providing such infrastructure would be a crucial step for its development agency UDA Holdings Bhd (UDA) to elevate and assist Sarawak’s rural entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
KUCHING (Feb 9): The Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry (Kuskop) is planning to build more business space facilities and infrastructure for small traders and entrepreneurs, especially in the rural areas of Sarawak.
Its minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said providing such infrastructure would be a crucial step for its development agency UDA Holdings Bhd (UDA) to elevate and assist Sarawak’s rural entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
According to him, Sarawak has requested the ministry to look into the development of such infrastructure for small entrepreneurs in small districts in the state.
“I want to see how UDA, which is a leader in real estate development and asset management, is able to participate in the development of infrastructure for small traders, especially in rural areas here in Sarawak.
“I appreciate the views of the Sarawak government, especially in relation to business premises that require funding from the federal government,” he told reporters when met at the launching of UDA Sarawak’s New Sales Gallery at Sarawak Plaza Shopping Centre here today.
On the 2023 National Budget, Ewon said his focus would be on providing more allocations for the development of premises infrastructure for small traders, cooperatives and hawkers in both Sarawak and Sabah, starting next year.
He also said his ministry has come up with a proposal to include the development of entrepreneurial business spaces and premises in every district nationwide under the special development provisions for the following year’s national budget.
“We will give more focus to entrepreneurs in Sabah and Sarawak in this budget. But everything depends on the budget that will be presented on Feb 24.
“For Budget 2024, my ministry is negotiating with the Ministry of Finance so that entrepreneurial premises throughout the country are provided with special development provisions,” he said when asked about his request for the upcoming national budget.
Ewon also said that his ministry will continue to hold more engagement sessions with business associations and cooperatives to gain opinions, suggestions and feedback to ensure the efficiency of the policies.
“That’s why we hold many engagement sessions with many parties, especially associations, related agencies, community leaders and so on to get relevant input that can be included in next year’s budget application and the year after.
“It is important for us to draw up various development plans and programmes that can be implemented to develop entrepreneurs, especially small traders in this country,” he said.
“I am very confident that the effort can be started this year because UDA is the only agency under the ministry that has expertise in engineering construction and infrastructure development, including for rural entrepreneurs,” he added.