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Kota Kinabalu: Ten entrepreneurs from the Asnaf community each received a business grant of RM10,000 and certificates of attendance through the ISHRAF programme 2.0 organised by SME Bank. 

“Entrepreneurship acts as a catalyst which fuels economic growth and generates job opportunities,” said Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives,

Datuk Ewon Benedick who highlighted the Ministry’s role in producing successful entrepreneurs while intensifying efforts to boost capacity and capabilities of those already in the industry.  

In his speech at the closing ceremony of Targeted Entrepreneurs Roadshow Programme organised by the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (Kuskop), Ewon noted the provision of government aid for entrepreneurship development is aimed at uplifting the capabilities of local entrepreneurs. 

“Even so, entrepreneurs need to learn to strive towards becoming independent and self-sufficient to be successful,” he said. 

In support of the national agenda under the 12 Malaysia Plan 2021-2025 (RMKe-12), the Ministry started a programme to promote entrepreneurship under its Targeted Entrepreneurship Roadshow (JKEB) on 4 March 2023 with 115 entrepreneurs and continued with the second series attended by 170 entrepreneurs from the local B40 category. 

Ewon said the main objective of the programme is to provide exposure and foster entrepreneurship as well as the latest information on initiatives, incentives and services offered by the Ministry and related agencies. 

For 2023, he said the focus group for the Ministry are women, convicts, B40 community and social entrepreneurs in enhancing capacity, quality of life by taking on entrepreneurship. 

Moving forward, another 30 selected local Asnaf entrepreneurs will join the ISHRAF programme in 2023, the third edition of the Asnaf Entrepreneurship Programme organised by SME Bank set to involve the participation of 400 Asnaf entrepreneurs nationwide.  

The JKEB Kuskop will continue this year, with a proposed implementation of 4 series involving 300 participants in line with the objectives set by the Malaysia Madani gGvernment for entrepreneurs. 

The JKEB Kuskop initiative first started in 2022 with three editions involving 200 participants comprising women, convicts and indigenous people.