19 top ECER entrepreneurs receive awards from PM
Published on: Thursday, April 13, 2017
Putra Jaya: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Tuesday presented Usahawan Gemilang ECER Awards to 19 entrepreneurs.Najib, who is also Finance Minister, presented the awards comprising trophies and cheques worth RM5,000 and RM10,000 to the recipients as recognition for their contributions to the local residents.The inaugural programme was held after Najib chaired the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) meeting at Perdana Putra Building here. ADVERTISEMENT Najib is also Chairman of ECERDC.According to ECERDC Chief Ececutive Officer Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issac John, the continuous socio-economic transformation in the ECER has created over 14,000 job opportunities and 24,000 new micro, small and medium entrepreneurs in the towns and rural areas."The entrepreneurs have created over 36,000 jobs for the people including in small towns, where the entrepreneurs are developed through human capital building programme and ECERDC investment efforts," he said in a statement here.He said the ECER has succeeded in attracting RM101.4 billion in private investment, which contributed 92 per cent to the ECER investment target of RM110 billion by 2020.ADVERTISEMENT "About 73 per cent of the jobs are for skilled workers including in technical and management sectors in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Mersing region in Johor," he said.He added that the entrepreneurs' success was a testament to the government's efforts to empower the people in the ECER, especially among the Bottom 40 household income group.
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"The public-private sector efforts are implemented with the cooperation of SIRIM, Agrobank and Maybank, which offer guidance and access to funding to the eligible ECER entrepreneurs. To date, Agrobank and Maybank have provided financial assistance totalling RM188.5 million to 5,567 participants while the government supported by topping up the profit or interest rate which amounted to RM30.6 million.Meanwhile, the main award was won by Roslaimi Arifin, 48, from Kelantan on his dedication in transforming his business from a micro status to an export-oriented company."I started Mitra Food Industries Sdn Bhd on a small-scale basis in 2006, and the company participated in the ECER-SIRIM entrepreneur programme in 2013 to capitalise on SIRIM's expertise in product packaging, labelling and certification."In two years, Mitra had succeeded in securing a contract to export products including Musang King White Coffee to Nanning, China and annual sales increased 133 per cent," he said.Roslaimi said last year, Mitra recorded sales of RM4.2 million and the company expected to expand its coffee product to other parts of China, which has a huge market for durian-based products.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Another award recipient, Latif Nor Sohor, 40, from Pahang who lost his leg in an accident also received training and support to start a business producing "kuih bahulu"."The assistance has helped change the quality of my livelihood and my family by generating our own income independently. Now, the business has achieved sales of RM180,000 annually," he said. – Bernama