TELUPID: Sabah entrepreneurs are making their mark beyond local markets through Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship initiatives this year, said Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick.
He said his ministry had successfully organised several Asean-level programmes that placed Sabah-made products on the regional stage.
“These include the Asean Coordinating Committee on SME meeting held in Langkawi, the Asean Inclusive Business Forum in Kuala Lumpur, the Asean Cooperative Dialogue, and the launch of Sedar — a Centre of Excellence for Green Transition for MSMEs under SME Bank,” he said when met after officiating the Majlis Ramah Mesra bersama usahawan Tekun programme in Telupid on Sunday (Oct 26).
Ewon said the Asean SME Venture Aid Expo also featured a Sabah Pavilion showcasing locally made products, while several meeting souvenirs were sourced from Sabah handicrafts, reflecting the growing presence of local entrepreneurs in regional markets.
“This opened participation opportunities for Sabah entrepreneurs — whether through the Asean SME Expo or handicraft products used as official souvenirs at Asean meetings,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ewon said the ministry would continue giving special attention to entrepreneurs in Sabah and Sarawak, recognising their unique challenges such as high logistics costs and limited market access.
“Two years ago, I told ministry officials that we must give extra focus to the entrepreneurial and cooperative development needs of Sabah and Sarawak, which face unique issues due to logistics, remoteness, and higher business costs compared to the peninsula,” he said.
He said Tekun Nasional had channelled RM1.26bil in financing to 67,248 entrepreneurs in Sabah since 1998, including RM109mil disbursed this year to 2,006 entrepreneurs, and RM8.5mil to 207 recipients in Telupid.
Among the initiatives introduced are the Skim Pembiayaan Usahawan Tamu, Bumiputra Entrepreneur Grant (BIP Plus), and Projek Tamu Desa, which will continue under the 2026 Budget with a RM20mil allocation to upgrade rural market facilities.
The Budget 2026 also earmarks RM2.5bil across agencies to support micro-entrepreneurs, including RM550mil under Tekun Nasional.
Ewon urged rural residents to take advantage of financing schemes as well as entrepreneurship training offered by agencies under the ministry, adding that business success depends not only on capital but also on knowledge and skills.
Tekun Nasional chairman Datuk Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid was also present, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to supporting rural entrepreneurs in Sabah.
