214 Sabah Bumiputera youth entrepreneurs trained
PENAMPANG: A total of 214 Sabah Bumiputera youth entrepreneurs were successfully trained this year through grants amounting to RM3 million under the Tunas Usahawan Belia Bumiputera (TUBE) program.
The program, implemented by SME Corp Malaysia, an agency under the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, aims to encourage young Bumiputeras aged between 18 to 30 years to venture into business.
The closing ceremony of the TUBE-X program for the Sabah Zone was officiated by the Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, Datuk Ewon Benedick, at the International Technology & Commercial Centre (ITCC), here on Sunday.
The program, which took the form of basic entrepreneurship training was renamed TUBEX in conjunction with its 10th anniversary, and was conducted in collaboration with Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM) and Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Berhad (Bank Rakyat) for seven days starting May 6.
The program was also implemented in four other zones namely the Northern Zone, East Coast, Central/Southern, and Sarawak, providing Business Start-Up Grants of up to RM15,000 to each participant who successfully completed the training.
Speaking at the event, Ewon said that this year, after three years of conducting the TUBE program online due to the Covid19 pandemic, the program is being held physically again to maximize the period of entrepreneurship education and training and indirectly create networks among participants.
“Until December 2023, a total of 7,738 TUBE participants have participated, and Sabah participants are the highest among them, with a total of 1,444 (18.66 per cent). Sabah’s TUBE Alumni participants have also created 2,039 job opportunities in Sabah with a total business sales value of RM20.65 million,” he said.
Ewon said the TUBE-X program offers comprehensive entrepreneurship training, and participants are also provided with start-up business grant assistance of up to RM15,000.
Furthermore, he said the program also helps participants to develop business plans based on interests and environmental opportunities, foster and instill entrepreneurial spirit among Bumiputera youth, and cultivate resilience and identity among Bumiputera youth.
He added that as a continuation for entrepreneurs who are just starting out, SME Corporation Malaysia also provides grants under the Bumiputera Enterprise Enhancement Program (BEEP) of up to RM500,000 to further enhance the productivity and capabilities of the businesses they have started.
“Until April 30, a total of 868 applications amounting to RM105.11 million have been approved since its implementation in 2021. Of this amount, 32 PMKS from Sabah have been approved grants totaling RM5.30 million. In addition, a total of 74 microentrepreneurs in Sabah have been approved grants totaling RM5.87 million under the Micro Madani Program,” he said.
Ewon said that Bumiputera youth entrepreneurs can also increase their business working capital through digital financing via the Tunas-i program conducted by SME Corp in collaboration with Funding Societies (Modalku Venture Sdn Bhd).
Meanwhile, the chairman of SME Corp Malaysia, Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok, hoped that the knowledge and skills acquired from the TUBEX program could help young Bumiputera entrepreneurs enhance creativity, resilience, and subsequently innovate in their respective businesses.
“Creativity and innovation are important in ensuring the success of an entrepreneur,” he said.
In addition, the Chief Executive Officer of SME Corp Malaysia, Rizal Nainy, said as an agency responsible for PMKS development in Malaysia, focus will also be given to developing young Bumiputera entrepreneurs in line with the aspirations of the more equitable and inclusive MADANI Economic Framework.
“We are committed to monitoring the progress of each TUBE-X participant who completes training and starts a business, which is one of the main components in guiding entrepreneurs to a better level,” he said.
The official closing ceremony of the TUBE-X 2024 program is scheduled in conjunction with the closing of the Central/ Southern Zone on June 11, 2024, in Kuala Lumpur.
Overall, the total number of successful young Bumiputera participants trained nationwide in 2024 is 800.
During the event Ewon also witnessed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between SME Corp Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). Representing SME Corp Malaysia was its CEO Rizal Nainy while the Vice-Chancellor of UMS Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor signed on behalf of the university.
This MoU with UMS paves the way for cooperation in implementing sustainability initiatives for PMKS in Sabah which includes capacity building and promotion of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices, developing carbon credit ecosystem in Sabah as well as carrying out activities related to the development of human capital and research.
Also present at the event were the Secretary-General of the Ministry, Datuk Seri Suriani Ahmad, and the Deputy Secretary-General (Entrepreneur Development) Datuk Zamri Salleh.