KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP), through its agencies, has disbursed a total financing of RM1.685 billion to entrepreneurs in Sabah and Sarawak throughout the past year.
Its minister, Datuk Ewon Benedick, said that out of this amount, RM953.9 million in financing was allocated in Sabah and RM731.2 million in Sarawak.
He said that among the agencies involved in disbursing the financing were SME Corp. Malaysia, Tekun Nasional, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), Institut Keusahawanan Negara (INSKEN), SME Bank, and Bank Rakyat.
“KUSKOP, through the ministry’s agencies, is always committed to implementing various inclusive programmes for all entrepreneurs and cooperatives nationwide,” he said during the oral question session at the Dewan Rakyat here today.
Ewon was responding to a question from Datuk Muslimin Yahaya (Sungai Besar), who asked about the proactive initiatives of the Ministry in assisting small-scale entrepreneurs, especially among the B40 group and young entrepreneurs in the rural and remote areas of Sabah and Sarawak.
He said that KUSKOP and the agencies under the ministry have implemented special programmes to enhance the empowerment of entrepreneurs, particularly the B40 group and young entrepreneurs in the rural and remote areas of Sabah and Sarawak.
“One of them is the Bumiputera Enterprise Enhancement Programme (BEEP) Plus Sabah and Sarawak by SME Corp., specifically for Bumiputera entrepreneurs in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Since its implementation in September 2023 until May 31, 2024, a total of 112 microentrepreneurs in Sabah and Sarawak have been approved for grants amounting to RM9.4 million.
“For the period from 2021 until May 31, SME Corp. has also implemented the Bumiputera Youth Entrepreneurship Programme (TUBE) in Sabah and Sarawak, benefiting a total of 1,171 young entrepreneurs with grants amounting to RM17.1 million,” he said.
