Housing and Local Government Ministry will allocate RM680,000 next year for the New Village Expo to promote Malaysia’s new villages.
Minister Nga Kor Ming said of the total, RM300,000 would go towards organising the expo.
“Another RM300,000 will be used for the Malaysia New Village Best Product competition, which is one of the expo’s highlights.
“The programme features workshops that help local entrepreneurs advance their products further.
“The ministry will also allocate RM80,000 to fund the competition prize pool, doubling the previous allocation of RM40,000,” he said yesterday during the closing ceremony of the third edition of “Wow! Kampung Baru Expo” at the Pavilion Bukit Jalil Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Nga said after the success at this year’s Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair in Heilongjiang, China, Malaysia has been invited as the “country of honour” for next year’s fair.
“A Malaysian pavilion will be set up for guests to explore our new village products.
“We will bring more vendors, especially today’s award winners, to equip themselves, gear up and step onto the international stage.”
The Malaysia New Village Best Product competition saw 29 new village entrepreneurs being recognised for their food products.
Nga said only those with the recognition would attend the international trade fair.
“Over the past three years, we have also seen entrepreneurs begin to obtain halal certification, making their products halal-compliant and enabling them to penetrate the Muslim market and export to other countries,” he said, urging more new village businesses to follow suit.
Nga said the ministry would make the expo, organised by non-governmental organisation KG-ing, an annual event.
“New villages are a national heritage celebrating 78 years since their establishment in 1948, prior to our country achieving independence,” he said.
“Over the past seven decades, the new villages have become an integral part of our nation’s history and heritage, rich in tradition yet driven by innovation.
“For the first two days, 70,000 visitors came for the expo and we are confident that the three-day expo will receive more than 100,000 visitors, the biggest turnout compared to past editions.”
The Island Cincalok Sauce from Kampung Baru Rangkaian Sungai Pinang in Pangkor, Perak, won the gold award while Heritaste Apong Peanut Pounded Candy from Kampung Baru in Jenjarom, Selangor, received the silver award.
Chicken Floss Tau Sar Peah from Kampung Baru Valdor, Penang, earned the bronze award.
The gold, silver and bronze winners won RM10,000, RM7,000 and RM5,000, respectively.
Five other businesses also received a special award of RM3,000 each.
Nga added that the expo’s exclusive banking partner, Bank Simpanan Nasional, allocated RM320mil to provide low-interest loans to new village entrepreneurs.
“Each entrepreneur is eligible to borrow up to RM150,000 with an effective interest rate as low as 2%.
“The default rate is less than 1%, which means over 99% of these entrepreneurs diligently repay their loans.
“As of this morning, we have disbursed RM300mil,” Nga said.
“I will request an additional RM100mil from the Finance Ministry, increasing the total fund to RM420mil starting next year, so that this loan scheme can continue to benefit thousands of entrepreneurs.”
