PENAMPANG: Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick will ensure that the district will be among the first to benefit from the Ministry’s provisions granted through Federal Government allocation.“I am very confident with the Budget 2023 that will be presented next month, the Ministry will obtain a large allocation.
“As Penampang MP, I want the people of Penampang to be among the first to receive facilities from our Ministry. This is my commitment,” he said in his speech when officiating the Ang Pao Festival in conjunction with Chinese New Year at Taman Suria Penampang, here, last Saturday.
Ewon hoped to meet with the business chambers, associations, small traders, hawkers and cooperatives in Penampang and jointly discuss ways to develop entrepreneurship in the district.
He said he will also look into how the Ministry can help local entrepreneurs, especially in terms of financing, such as entrepreneur grants or loan capital to conduct business here.
“At the same time we urge the Unity Government to provide better infrastructure for small traders that are under my Ministry’s care,” said Ewon, who is also Kadamaian Assemblyman.
Ewon also plans to make Penampang a Digital Entrepreneurship Hub in Sabah and the papers are currently being planned for its implementation.
“Thereafter, my Ministry will chip in to assist whatever is needed to make sure Penampang is developed as a Digital Entrepreneurship Hub,” he added.
On the construction of the new Tamu Donggongon, Ewon said he has brought the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) to visit the site last week in efforts to expedite its implementation.
He also plans to construct a traditional tamu in Moyog and Rumah Murah Kepayan.
Earlier during the festival, Ewon encouraged Sabahans to defend its identity as a harmonious plural society of diverse races, cultures, language and religion.
“If there are racial and religious extremists who try to play on racial sentiments or religious sentiments in this country, then we as Sabahans need to defend our identity (of harmony and tolerance).
“We must continue to be an example harmonious living amid a plural society of different races, languages and religions, that is always united, harmonious and mutually respectful,” he said.
Additionally, Ewon expressed commitment towards empowering the people’s cultural celebrations in Penampang and will continue to provide allocations for the Ang Pau Festival to be held in the district every year.
Also present were Finance Assistant Minister Tan Lee Fatt, Kepayan Assemblywoman Jannie Lasimbang, former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, Senator Datuk John Ambrose, Penampang District Officer Francis Chong, PKR Penampang Branch Chief Joseph Alex Chang and Penampang community leaders.
