KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 — The Ministry of Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperatives (Kuskop) has requested an allocation of RM666 million in the upcoming Budget 2023, to finance 185 programmes under the ministry’s strategic plan
Its minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said the strategic plan will benefit 542,080 entrepreneurs and the programmes would help entrepreneurs weather the economic challenges this year.
He said this included the New Generation Entrepreneurs Online Bootcamp (N-GENE), Tunas Usahawan Belia Bumiputera (TUBE) and Foodtruck.
He said there were three main objectives of the strategic plan, namely to provide a conducive ecosystem to support and drive the recovery, growth and stability of the country’s entrepreneurial sector; enhance the resilience and competitiveness of post-pandemic entrepreneurs; and strengthen the facilitative and effective entrepreneurial service delivery system.
“In order to realise the targeted objectives, five strategic thrusts and 24 strategies have been formulated including policy formulation; governance and regulation; capacity building; access to financing; market access; as well as technology adaptation and strengthening of service delivery,” he said at the launch of the strategic plan today.
“Apart from that, several priorities in terms of implementation have been outlined under the plan, namely increasing technology adaptation and digitalisation among entrepreneurs and cooperatives.
“The ministry should also ensure that access to financing is expanded and be more targeted according to the level and category of enterprises,” he said.
Under the plan, he said entrepreneurship training and guidance should be offered on a hands-on basis so that entrepreneurs can gain knowledge and robust and innovative skills to be more competitive.
“I also see the role played by social enterprises to facilitate effective community and regional development, especially in the rural areas and regions of Borneo, Sabah and Sarawak which have limited access from a geographical and infrastructure perspective.
“Thus, the implementation of initiatives under the Social Entrepreneurship Blueprint 2030 or SEMy2030 as the national roadmap for social entrepreneurship development should be strengthened so that the impact produced can contribute to the inclusive, balanced and sustainable socio-economic development of the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said his ministry would hold an open day for entrepreneur associations, cooperatives and those in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (PMKS) sector every first Monday of the month, to establish good relations with them as clients of the ministry. — Bernama
