Kota Kinabalu: The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (Kuskop) on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SE) to implement the Vendor Development Programme (VDP) under the national vendor development initiative.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Kuskop Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick, reaffirming the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the local micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) ecosystem, particularly in Sabah.
In a statement, Kuskop said under the MoU, SE has been appointed as a new anchor company under the VDP, making it the first from Sabah to participate in the programme.
“This initiative is expected to drive the growth of local Bumiputera vendor companies through various capacity-building activities, technical capability enhancement and supply chain expansion within the energy sector.
“The MoU will be in effect for three years and automatically renewed for another three years unless a termination notice is issued by the anchor company,” the statement read.
The statement added that the Ministry of Finance provides double tax deduction incentives to participating anchor companies, while Kuskop processes and supports these applications.
As of September 2025, a total of 20 vendor companies have been registered under the VDP in Sabah, involving five existing Anchors: SD Guthrie, TM Technology Services Sdn Bhd, Uzma Engineering Sdn Bhd, TH Plantations Berhad and Ameen Products Sdn Bhd.
According to the statement, during the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP), Sabah recorded seven beneficiaries under the Vendor Innovation and Commercialisation Grant (GIPV) and Vendor Capacity Development Programme (PPKV), amounting to RM3 million.
Under the 13MP, Kuskop targets 15 beneficiaries in Sabah, representing 12.5 per cent of the national target, comprising five recipients under GIPV and 10 under PPKV, with total projected funding of RM57 million, including an allocation of RM11.5 million for the first phase in 2026.
Meanwhile, in his speech, Ewon said the appointment of SE as an anchor company is a strategic step to strengthen the MSME scaling agenda under the 13MP, in line with the Madani Government’s efforts to expand local entrepreneurs’ participation in national and regional supply chains.
“The inclusion of this new anchor company from Sabah is expected to strengthen the State’s vendor development agenda through greater market access, enhanced innovation capacity and more strategic collaboration opportunities. It will also help generate economic spillovers for the local entrepreneurial community,” he said.
