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KOTA KINABALU (Dec 1): The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives will collaborate with TikTok Malaysia to assist micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in promoting and marketing their products online.

Its minister, Datuk Ewon Benedick, expressed hope that this collaboration will empower and boost the sales of MSME entrepreneurs.

“Tekun Nasional, an agency under the ministry will work with TikTok Malaysia to establish a Live Studio at Tekun Sabah and Sarawak to enable our entrepreneurs to market their products and services online.

“This is one of the ministry’s efforts to assist entrepreneurs, including those under INSKEN, in marketing their products and services live from the studio we will develop.

“Hopefully, by February next year, we can launch the first TikTok studio at Tekun in Sabah,” he said during a press conference after officiating the INSKEN Coaching Program (Sabah Edition) 2024 graduation ceremony at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here on Saturday.

Ewon added that MSME hubs will also be established in Sabah and Sarawak next year to provide a platform for entrepreneurs in the Borneo region to market their services and products.

He expressed hope that Yayasan Bank Rakyat (YBR) will continue to provide funds to cover course fees for entrepreneurs participating in INSKEN programs, as initiated this year in Sabah and Sarawak.

“Hopefully, other parties can collaborate or become strategic partners in implementing INSKEN coaching programs, not only in Sabah and Sarawak but nationwide,” he added.

Ewon also mentioned that top-performing entrepreneurs who receive guidance and training from INSKEN will be assisted in obtaining matching grants or financing from agencies under the ministry.

“For graduates receiving certificates from INSKEN, we will forward their names to financing agencies under the ministry, such as SME Corp, SME Bank, Tekun Nasional, and Bank Rakyat, to help them secure suitable financing to further grow their businesses,” he said.

At the event, 144 Sabah entrepreneurs, comprising 120 participants from the INSKEN Bumiputera Business Coaching (IBBC) Program and 24 from the INSKEN Start-Up Coaching Program, successfully completed their training programs, which lasted between four and six months.

Ewon highlighted that the program has enabled all participants to achieve a total sales increase of RM4.3 million, create 87 new job opportunities, transition nine businesses from micro to small-scale, and achieve a 321% improvement in diagnostic scores.

“Furthermore, INSKEN remains committed to ensuring that every ringgit spent on this program yields economic returns for the country.

“For the IBBC Program, every RM1 spent during its implementation has returned RM6.70 to the national economy,” he said.

Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2024/12/01/tiktok-to-assist-msmes-promote-market-products-online/