KUALA LUMPUR, A total of 214 Sabah Bumiputera youth entrepreneurs underwent training this year, made possible through grant assistance totalling more than RM3 million under the Tunas Usahawan Belia Bumiputera (TUBE) -X programme.

SME Corp Malaysia, an agency under the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development (KUSKOP), in a statement, said that the programme was implemented to encourage Bumiputera youths between the ages of 18 and 30 to venture into business.

Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick when speaking at the closing of the Sabah Zone TUBE-X Programme yesterday said that as of December last year, Sabah recorded the highest participation in the programme with 1,444 entrepreneurs or 18.66 per cent out of the 7,738 TUBE participants.

“Participants of the Sabah TUBE Alumni also succeeded in creating 2,039 job opportunities in Sabah with a cumulative business sales value of RM20.65 million,” he said.

According to Ewon, the TUBE programme was conducted onl
ine for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and held face-to-face again this year so that the teaching and entrepreneurship training period can be maximised and indirectly create a network among participants.

The TUBE-X program which offers comprehensive entrepreneurship training is also implemented in the northern zone, east coast, central/southern and Sarawak by providing business start-up grant assistance of up to RM15,000 to each participant upon completion of the training.

The programme, which provides basic entrepreneurship training and rebranded as TUBE-X in conjunction with the 10th year of its implementation, was held in collaboration with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) and Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Berhad (Bank Rakyat) for seven days starting on May 6.

Ewon said the programme also helped participants to make business plans based on their interests and opportunities in the surroundings, instilled the entrepreneurial spirit in Bumiputera youths and fostered their resilience an
d self-identity.

He said SME Corp Malaysia also provides grants of up to RM500,000 to new entrepreneurs through the Bumiputera Enterprise Enhancement Program (BEEP) to increase their productivity and business capabilities.

“Until last April 30, a total of 868 applications amounting to RM105.11 million were approved. Of that number, 32 PMKS (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) from Sabah were approved for grants amounting to RM5.30 million.

‘In addition, a total of 74 Sabah micro-entrepreneurs received grants of RM5.87 million under the MADANI Micro Programme,” he said.

Ewon said Bumiputera youth entrepreneur participants can also add business working capital through easy digital financing through the Tunas-i Programme run by SME Corp in collaboration with Funding Societies (Modalku Venture Sdn Bhd).

Meanwhile, SME Corp Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok hoped that the knowledge and skills gained from the TUBE-X Programme would help Bumiputera youth entrepreneurs increase their creativity and
resilience, as well as innovations in their respective businesses.

SME Corp Malaysia chief executive officer Rizal Nainy said as the agency responsible for PMKS development in Malaysia, the focus will be on developing Bumiputera youth entrepreneurs in line with the aspirations of a more equitable and inclusive MADANI Economic framework.

“We are committed to monitoring the development 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 Programme is scheduled to be held in conjunction with the closing of the central/southern zone on June 11 here.

In total, 800 Bumiputera youth participants were trained under the programme throughout the country this year.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency