PENAMPANG: Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick wants Yayasan Bank Rakyat (YBR) to continue providing additional funds to finance the fees of entrepreneurs participating in courses organised by the National Entrepreneurship Institute (INSKEN) in Sabah and Sarawak next year.
He said this year, YBR has channelled an allocation of RM300,000 for the purpose which benefited 1,200 entrepreneurs in both states.
Advertisement“Therefore, I hope that Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), especially in Sabah, can discuss with INSKEN to enable AIM Sabah friends to follow training and guidance from INSKEN in addition to the existing guidance implemented by AIM.”
He said this when officiating the AIM Block Donggongon Family Day Celebration, at the Gawir Dewan Kg Madsiang, Sunday.
SPONSORED CONTENT Shell Sabah Deepwater Production Manager Earns Unsung Hero Award Daily Express had the opportunity to interview Musti whose story reflects the power of determination and resilience. Read more Ewon is confident that small businesses implemented by AIM friends in Sabah will continue to thrive like other entrepreneurs.
“I am very proud to see the achievements of many AIM entrepreneurs across the country who started from small businesses and now become successful entrepreneurs and move on to medium-sized businesses.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});“Many successes start from inspiration and if that success can inspire, it is not impossible that the AIM Friends in the Donggongon Block, which is currently small in size, will become large enterprises in the future.
“However, it requires discipline and cooperation from all parties including ministry agencies and AIM, in accordance with AIM’s pledge to help each other,” he said.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Ewon also called for AIM friends to repay their loans according to the set schedule.
“Among all financing agencies regulated by the government, AIM is the best in terms of loan repayment.
“I hope AIM Sabah can also achieve 100 per cent loan repayment to enable more entrepreneurs or potential entrepreneurs who need additional capital to be assisted,” he said.
He also supported AIM Sabah’s proposal to establish a cooperative of AIM Sabah Friends.
“The proposal to establish a cooperative of AIM friends is very good and I will provide the best possible support so that it can be realised.
“The AIM Friends Cooperative is among the 10 best cooperatives in Malaysia, hopefully it will motivate AIM in Sabah,” he said.
Ewon said as the Minister of Kuskop, he will continue to work hard to ensure that all entrepreneurs, traders and small hawkers as well as cooperatives throughout the country, especially Sabah, receive benefits from guidance and financing programs from his Ministry.
“We have implemented many initiatives in Sabah this year, including the Tamu Desa Premises Construction Project which has never been done by the ministry before.
“We are implementing Tamu Desa as support for small traders, mostly mothers, so that they can do business in more comfortable conditions,” he said.
He said, this year, Kuskop has built and upgraded 92 Tamu Desa throughout Sabah and Sarawak and four of them are in Penampang.
He added that the Ministry is also introducing the Guest Entrepreneur Scheme under Tekun Nasional, a grant for bumiputera entrepreneurs specifically for Sabah and Sarawak, namely Beep Plus, which has also never been introduced by the ministry before.
“Next year, I will also introduce a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (PMKS) Hub in Sabah and will launch the Tiktok Studio in Sabah in February 2025 to help our entrepreneurs market their products through the platform online.
“Maybe to many people, this effort seems small, but to me, something big needs to start from small steps and efforts,” he said.
