SABAH, FEDERAL BUDGET CAN BE OPTIMISED TO ADVANCE STATE'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP SECTOR

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- The Sabah State Legislative Assembly was today told that the state's 2025 Budget and the Federal Budget 2025 can be optimised together to advance the state's entrepreneurship sector.

Datuk Ewon Benedick (PH-Kadamaian) said Sabah Budget 2025 allocated RM124.7 million for developing the industrial and entrepreneurial sector, while the Federal Budget 2025 provided RM40 billion for aid schemes and financing guarantees for micro, small and medium enterprises.

"I am quite confident that through the Sabah Entrepreneurship Development Coordinating Committee, this allocation (Sabah Budget 2025) can be optimised and empowered with Budget 2025," he said.

Ewon, the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister, said this when debating the Sabah Supply Bill 2025.

He added that through its seven agencies, the Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development Ministry channelled RM953.9 million in funding and grants to 53,044 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives, and franchise entrepreneurs in Sabah last year.

"I am aiming for the funding amount to reach RM1 billion this year. Accordingly, we will continue to empower the committee which I chair together with Luyang (Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe) as Sabah's Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship," he said.

Ewon also proposed setting up a laboratory in the state to test Sabah products applying for halal certification.

He understood that, at the moment, such products are sent to a laboratory in the peninsula for testing. Of course, this will extend the processing time for halal certification.

"If this laboratory can be built in Sabah, not only the time to test and process the halal certification will be easier, but the entrepreneurs who have obtained this halal certification will have access to many assistance schemes in the Federation," he said.

He also said that the one-off assistance of RM5,000 introduced by the state government to small roadside traders with a valid business license would increase the ownership of micro-entrepreneurs business licenses along the roadside and in the Tamu community.

"I suggest to the government that part of this grant be used as SOCSO contribution to ensure that these micro-entrepreneurs get better social protection," he said.

Ewon also informed that the Sabah State Hawkers and Traders Associations Federation is actively implementing the Data Collection and Development Programme for Entrepreneurs, Hawkers and Small Traders (PPK Data).

-- BERNAMA