Ministry promotes digital business programs in Sabah

KOTA BELUD: The government is constantly endeavouring to implement various national economic development programmes particularly to improve the livelihood of the target groups.

One of these endeavours is to develop the country's digital economy and ensure continuity of the economic benefits currently enjoyed by the people, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak.

He said in line with the government's efforts to develop the national digital economy, his ministry and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) had been entrusted with various sustainable economic development programmes.

"In this regard, I hope the programmes to be implemented by the ministry and MDEC can create wealth, build human capital and upgrade the people's life," he said while launching the Bootcamp #YOUCANDUIT programme yesterday.

Also present were the ministry's deputy secretary-general (Policy) Datuk Mohid Mohamed and MDEC chief executive officer Datuk Yasmin Mahmood.

"This #YOUCANDUIT campaign paves the way and trains low income housholds on how to capitalise and earn income in digital space. To this end, MDEC has introduced two programmes, e-Usahawan and e-Rezeki," he said.

Salleh said the e-Usahawan programme was aimed at encouraging youths and micro entrepreneurs to venture into the digital business sector.

"Exposure to digital entrepreneurship knowledge through the programme will surely benefit the people in Sabah, aside from allowing them to increase their understanding of digital business," he said.

Salleh said e-Rezeki concerned the most important target group, B40, that is, the 40 per cent low income earners.

"E-Rezeki provides a platform for the group to generate additional income through activities that match the ability of the households to become part of the competitive digital manpower," he said.

On the achievement of eUsahawan, he said as at December last year, 51,000 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) students and micro entrepreneurs underwent the course.

The minister said RM48 million in total sale returns was generated through e-Usahawan.

"As for the e-Rezeki programme, it earned more than RM17 million additional income for more than 50,000 participants," he said.

Salleh said the ministry and MDEC's target for the two programmes was 150,000 participants by the end of this year with total sale returns reaching RM130 million. Bernama