Ewon Urges KUSKOP Agencies to Strengthen Rural Entrepreneur Development
TELUPID: Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, Datuk Ewon Benedick, has called on all agencies under his ministry to intensify efforts to develop entrepreneurs in rural and interior areas across the country.
He said this initiative is crucial to ensure that rural communities are not left behind in the nation’s entrepreneurial development, as they continue to face various challenges such as logistical constraints and high business operating costs.
“I hope that the facilities and opportunities provided by the ministry can be expanded to entrepreneurs in rural and interior areas such as Mukim Nangoh and other regions nationwide.
“I also want KUSKOP and all its agencies to continue going on the ground, including to rural and interior areas, to develop entrepreneurship and cooperatives as platforms for economic progress and to address poverty issues,” he said.
Ewon said this when speaking to reporters after officiating the TEKUN Nasional Entrepreneur Engagement Ceremony in Telupid, held at Dewan Kampung Gana Jati, Nangoh, today.
He shared that as of 2025, TEKUN Nasional has disbursed RM109 million in financing to 2,006 entrepreneurs across Sabah.
“Of that amount, RM8.5 million was distributed to 207 entrepreneurs in the Telupid district within the same period,” he said.
According to Ewon, over the past two years, under the Domestic Look East Policy he introduced in the ministry, several targeted initiatives for Sabah and Sarawak have been implemented.
“Among them are the Tamu Entrepreneur Financing Scheme (SPUT) by TEKUN Nasional to support traders at local tamu markets in Sabah and Sarawak, and the Bumiputera Entrepreneur Enhancement Programme (BEEP Plus) by SME Corp Malaysia to assist Bumiputera entrepreneurs in both states.
“In addition, the ministry has introduced the Tamu Desa Project to upgrade facilities and provide a more comfortable environment for tamu entrepreneurs in rural areas.
“In certain sub-districts and villages, traditional tamu markets remain the heartbeat of the local economy. Therefore, the Tamu Desa Project, implemented since 2024, will continue this year with an additional RM20 million allocation under Budget 2026,” he said.
During the ceremony, Ewon presented the TEKUN Nasional Entrepreneur Excellence Awards and handed over financing to local entrepreneurs.
He also held a dialogue session with entrepreneurs to discuss entrepreneurship and cooperative development in the area.
Also present were the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP), Dato’ Sri Khairul Dzaimee Daud; Chairman of TEKUN Nasional, Datuk Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid; Chief Executive Officer of TEKUN Nasional, Datuk Adam Abd. Hamid; as well as senior officials from the ministry and its agencies.
