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KUALA LUMPUR — The Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry (KUSKOP) disbursed funding amounting to RM731.2 million to 42,006 entrepreneurs and cooperatives in Sarawak last year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Its Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick (picture) said that the ministry is always concerned and committed to implementing various inclusive entrepreneurial initiatives and assistance, including for Bumiputera entrepreneurs in Sarawak.
“Among the funding grants specifically provided to Bumiputera entrepreneurs in Sarawak is the Bumiputera Enterprise Enhancement Program (BEEP) Plus Sarawak, implemented by SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) for Bumiputera small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the state.
“Since its implementation in September 2023 until May 31 this year, 31 Sarawak SMEs have received grants amounting to RM3.23 million. Additionally, a total of eight Bumiputera SMEs in Sarawak received BEEP grants amounting to RM1.57 million in 2023,” he said during the question and answer session.
He said this in response to a question from Rodiyah Sapiee (GPS-Batang Sadong) regarding the statistics of entrepreneurs, the amount of funding grants, and the type of assistance specifically channelled to the Bumiputera community in Sarawak.
Ewon said that under the Tunas Usahawan Belia initiative, SME Corp channelled grants totalling RM540,000 to 36 participants in 2023, while in 2024, grants amounting to RM1.27 million have been approved for 115 young entrepreneurs in Sarawak.
He added that the ministry initiated the Tamu Desa project in 2024, aimed at building and upgrading facilities and infrastructure for hawkers and petty traders in Sarawak.
“It involves an allocation of RM1.995 million for the implementation of Phase 1, including the upgrading of 13 Tamu Desa sites statewide,” he said.
He said that KUSKOP, through its agencies, also provides financing for SME entrepreneurs in the state.
In 2023, Bank Rakyat approved financing for 175 SME entrepreneurs in Sarawak, amounting to RM105.3 million, and SME Bank channelled financing totalling RM130.71 million to 41 SMEs in Sarawak.
“Additionally, RM112,000 was channelled to the Koperasi Seni Seramik Kenyalang Berhad for the development of women’s accessories based on ceramics in Kuching, Sarawak, under the One District, One Industry (SDSI) initiative last year.
“In 2021, RM110,000 was channelled to Koperasi Tambak Pusa Berhad for the along (nipah palm) sugar industry in Pusa, Sarawak, also under the SDSI initiative,” he said.
Source: https://themalaysianreserve.com/2024/07/18/ewon-over-rm731m-channelled-to-sarawak-entrepreneurs-cooperatives-in-2023/