PJ council says its business boost initiatives also benefitted over 2,600 participants
TEN local entrepreneurs have been awarded the Petaling Jaya Potential Entrepreneur Award, earning a spot on an exclusive study tour to Guangzhou, China, this December.
The awards were the main highlight of the two-day Petaling Jaya Entrepreneur Day held at The Curve in Petaling Jaya.
Selangor youth, sports and entrepreneurship committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi presented the prizes.
In a statement, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) highlighted that the awards reflected its ongoing commitment to strengthening the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, specifically helping micro-enterprises grow sustainably and competitively.
The city council said its development initiatives had seen significant growth, recording 2,631 participants this year compared to 1,230 in 2022.
MBPJ attributed this rise to its structured approach, having conducted 28 training sessions across three skill levels this year.
These sessions covered business fundamentals, financial management, digital marketing, product branding and market expansion.
“This structured approach has also seen participants successfully scale up their businesses, including moving from small-scale sales to producing their own products, expanding food truck operations, obtaining halal certification and opening brick-and-mortar restaurants,” MBPJ’s Corporate Communications Unit said.
To support digital branding, MBPJ also operates StudioBiz Plats@PJ, a platform offering digital recording, promotional and marketing support.
This year’s event also introduced a new award – Best Pitching Session Participant – to reward effective business presentations.
In addition, MBPJ announced two upcoming initiatives aimed at boosting youth participation and market access next year.
The Skill2Biz Programme is targeted at 50 aspiring young entrepreneurs, offering practical skill-based training in barista and barbering to help them build sustainable incomes.
A strategic partnership between MBPJ, Menteri Besar Inc (MBI) Selangor and The Curve will allow local micro-entrepreneurs to operate within the mall starting next year.
MBI Selangor will sponsor three push-cart units, with openings extended to entrepreneurs from other local authorities across Selangor.
The two-day PJ Entrepreneur Day featured 20 booths highlighting products from entrepreneurs across Selangor, along with an MBPJ licensing payment counter, entrepreneurship podcasts, cultural performances and lucky draws.
Visitors also participated in a free TikTok Affiliate masterclass under the “Let’s Transform Your Career” initiative – a collaboration with Platform Selangor (Plats), a digital entrepreneurship platform offering digital marketing strategies and income generation opportunities.
Also present at the prize-giving were Kota Damansara assemblyman Muhammad Izuan Ahmad Kasim and Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohd Yazid Sairi.
