Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Ministry of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship (MIDE) recorded a total of 8,167 small and medium enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs this year.
This includes SME entrepreneurs registered under the Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR).
State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe said the number shows a positive increase compared to the previous year.
“This figure does show a significant increase, especially in the Kota Kinabalu area.
“Therefore, MIDE wants to encourage more entrepreneurs to register under DIDR because we have already helped many registered SME entrepreneurs last year.
“This year, the Government has increased the allocation from RM11 million to RM15 million through the SME-Up programme.
“SME-Up is a programme under my Ministry to help our entrepreneurs who want to start a business.
“We can help them add skills, branding, packaging and so on,” he said when met at the Christy Ng Store launch at Imago shopping centre, here.
Asked about other initiatives implemented by his Ministry to help SME entrepreneurs in Sabah, Phoong said a micro-grant programme for entrepreneurs to start a business would ber launched.
“Any trader who needs financial help to start a business can come to our office.
“We want to produce more entrepreneurs who start from the bottom, but are eventually able to build their own business empire.
“Success stories like this will certainly inspire others to become successful entrepreneurs,” he said.
