Sabah SMEs invited to take part in business awards

More Sabah SMEs are invited to take part in Platinum Business Awards 2018.

The award is a premium branding platform to help SMEs receive recognition both locally and globally, said its organising chairman Chey Onn Wah.

Speaking to reporters after the launch of the roadshow on the event by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, Chey said it was the event’s 17th consecutive year.

“We started in 2002 and last year, three Sabahan SMEs won in the respective categories they participated in,” he said.

This year, 19 categories are up for grabs and the closing date for entries either by nomination or by invitation is on July 15.

According to Chey, in the past, entries from Sabah have been low and one of the reasons was geographical.

“This year the Small and Medium Enterprise Association of Sabah (SME Sabah) was set up and we will be working closely with them to disseminate information and generate interest on the Platinum Business Awards 2018.

“We will also be using social media and hope that the media can assist us in creating awareness about the awards. Now that we have a local chapter, it will be the platform where the SMEs in Sabah will get more information about the award. I am hopeful that the association will be able to create awareness in more SMEs from Sabah,” he said.

The one day roadshow was held in the city only but Chey expressed hope that with the assistance of SME Sabah, they will be able to expand it to other districts, especially in the east coast of Sabah.

SME Sabah president Foo Ngee Kee disclosed that the association was set up in March and to date has about 50 members.

“We hope more will join, especially after the state government’s endorsement of the association,” he said, adding that SME Sabah would be doing its best to be the bridge for SMEs in Sabah with all the programs, trainings as well as financial assistance that are available to them.

The roadshow is just one of the programs and will be an annual event, said Foo.

“SME Sabah will also be conducting talks with SMEs, as well as collaborating with government agencies like Matrade. We are confident that more government organizations will be reaching out to the association to seek assistance in getting in touch with SMEs which by nature are very small so it is not easy to get to them one by one,” he said.

According to Foo, the micro businesses in Malaysia is about 690,000, the small businesses is about 200,000 and the medium businesses is only about 20,000.

“Hopefully by getting them to join the association and through the talks, we can reach out and help to facilitate the organizations such as banks to get in touch with them.

“Now we have contacts in Keningau, Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Tawau we can organise the roadshow there as those in these areas need more help that those in KK.

“We can also gather information as well as problems they have and present to the government on their behalf,” he said, adding that there are only 60,000 SMEs in Sabah registered with SSM. They make up to only 6.3 per cent of the total of one million nationwide.

Foo also expressed the association’s gratitude to the state government for the RM50,000 allocation.