RM950.78 juta disalurkan kepada lebih 44,000 usahawan dan koperasi di Sabah (Dwibahasa)
KOTA KINABALU: Sejumlah RM950.78 juta pembiayaan telah disalurkan kepada 44,059 usahawan dan koperasi di Sabah sehingga September tahun ini menerusi Kementerian Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi (KUSKOP) serta agensi-agensinya, kata Ketua Menteri Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor.
Beliau berkata, jumlah itu mencerminkan komitmen berterusan kerajaan dalam memperluas akses pembiayaan serta menyokong pertumbuhan dan daya saing perniagaan tempatan, khususnya perusahaan mikro, kecil dan sederhana (PMKS).
Katanya, kerajaan negeri menyambut baik pendekatan KUSKOP melalui aspirasi Hebatkan Perniagaan Malaysia (HPM) yang memberi penekanan kepada pembangunan usahawan secara menyeluruh, bukan sekadar menyediakan pembiayaan.
“Usahawan bukan sahaja memerlukan pembiayaan, tetapi juga latihan, teknologi, peningkatan produktiviti, proses permohonan yang lebih mudah serta akses kepada pasaran yang lebih luas.
“Kita mahu melihat lebih ramai usahawan dan syarikat tempatan di Sabah bergerak ke hadapan, menjadi lebih digital, produktif dan inovatif, di samping memperluas akses pasaran ke peringkat nasional dan antarabangsa,” katanya pada perasmian Karnival Hebatkan Perniagaan Malaysia Peringkat Negeri Sabah 2026 di Lintasan Deasoka di sini hari ini.
Ucapan beliau disampaikan oleh Timbalan Ketua Menteri III merangkap Menteri Pembangunan Perindustrian, Keusahawanan dan Pengangkutan Datuk Ewon Benedick.
Hajiji berkata, usaha memperkukuh ekosistem keusahawanan itu selari dengan hala tuju Pelan Pembangunan Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 bagi tempoh 2026 hingga 2030 yang memberi tumpuan kepada peningkatan daya saing, produktiviti dan nilai tambah ekonomi negeri.
Beliau berkata, kerajaan negeri turut menghargai komitmen KUSKOP dalam melaksanakan reformasi birokrasi, memudahkan prosedur serta memendekkan tempoh pemprosesan permohonan bagi meningkatkan kecekapan penyampaian perkhidmatan kepada usahawan.
“Pendekatan seperti inilah yang kita mahu lihat terus diperkukuh, iaitu lebih banyak masa usahawan digunakan untuk membina perniagaan dan mencari pelanggan, dan kurang masa dihabiskan untuk berurusan dengan proses yang boleh dipermudahkan,” katanya.
Sehubungan itu, beliau berkata, kerajaan negeri bersedia untuk terus bekerjasama dengan KUSKOP dan agensi-agensinya bagi memastikan program Kerajaan Persekutuan dapat dipadankan dengan keperluan ekosistem perniagaan di Sabah.
Hajiji turut menyambut baik pengumuman Belanjawan 2027 oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang memberi perhatian khusus kepada pembangunan PMKS, terutama melalui peningkatan akses pembiayaan dan pengurangan kos menjalankan perniagaan.
Dalam pada itu, beliau berkata, kerajaan negeri sepanjang tahun ini terus memberikan tumpuan kepada usaha memperkukuh pembangunan usahawan tempatan, antaranya menerusi Program Bantuan SME-UP bagi meningkatkan kapasiti, produktiviti dan daya saing perusahaan tempatan.
Katanya, kerajaan negeri turut membuka lebih banyak peluang kepada produk tempatan menembusi pasaran baharu, khususnya dalam sektor makanan dan minuman, pertanian, pelancongan, kraftangan serta produk berasaskan sumber tempatan.
“Dalam masa yang sama, Kerajaan Negeri turut memperkukuh pembangunan usahawan berasaskan inovasi dan teknologi, selain program pemerkasaan produk desa dan pembangunan kemahiran.
“Inisiatif ini memberi peluang kepada lebih ramai usahawan, khususnya golongan belia dan masyarakat luar bandar, meningkatkan kemahiran, menambah nilai produk serta meneroka peluang ekonomi baharu,” katanya.
Beliau berkata, kerjasama antara kerajaan negeri dan Kerajaan Persekutuan perlu terus diperkukuh supaya lebih ramai usahawan Sabah bukan sahaja mampu bertahan, tetapi turut meningkatkan skala perniagaan dan muncul sebagai peneraju perniagaan tempatan atau local champions.
Hajiji turut menyeru usahawan Sabah supaya merebut peluang yang disediakan menerusi Karnival HPM, termasuk konsultasi pembiayaan, latihan digital dan padanan perniagaan yang ditawarkan agensi KUSKOP serta rakan strategik negeri.
“Janganlah kita berpuas hati dengan pasaran sedia ada. Tingkatkan kualiti pembungkusan, penjenamaan dan ketekalan produk agar berdaya saing tinggi,” katanya.
Beliau yakin kerjasama erat antara kerajaan negeri, Kerajaan Persekutuan, institusi kewangan, sektor swasta dan komuniti perniagaan mampu mewujudkan ekosistem yang membolehkan lebih banyak perusahaan tempatan berkembang dan menembusi pasaran global.
Tamat
KOTA KINABALU: A total of RM950.78 million in financing has been disbursed to 44,059 entrepreneurs and cooperatives in Sabah as of September this year through the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP) and its agencies, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor.
He said the amount reflected the government's continued commitment to expanding access to financing and supporting the growth and competitiveness of local businesses, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
He said the State Government welcomed KUSKOP's approach through the Hebatkan Perniagaan Malaysia (HPM) initiative, which emphasised comprehensive entrepreneur development rather than merely providing financing.
“Entrepreneurs need not only financing, but also training, technology, improved productivity, simpler application procedures and access to wider markets.
“We want to see more entrepreneurs and local companies in Sabah move forward, become more digitalised, productive and innovative, while expanding their market reach nationally and internationally,” he said at the opening of the Sabah-level Hebatkan Perniagaan Malaysia Carnival 2026 at Lintasan Deasoka here today.
Deputy Chief Minister III/Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick delivered the speech.
Hajiji said efforts to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem align with the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 Development Plan for 2026 to 2030, which focuses on enhancing competitiveness, productivity, and value creation in the state's economy.
He said the State Government also appreciated KUSKOP's commitment to implementing bureaucratic reforms, simplifying procedures and shortening application processing times to improve service delivery efficiency for entrepreneurs.
“This is the kind of approach we want to see further strengthened, where entrepreneurs spend more time building their businesses and finding customers, and less time dealing with procedures that can be simplified,” he said.
In this regard, he said the State Government was prepared to continue working with KUSKOP and its agencies to ensure that Federal Government programmes were aligned with the needs of Sabah's business ecosystem.
Hajiji also welcomed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's Budget 2027 announcement, which placed special emphasis on MSME development, particularly through improved access to financing and reduced costs of doing business.
Meanwhile, he said the State Government had continued to focus on strengthening local entrepreneur development throughout this year, including through the SME-UP Assistance Programme to enhance the capacity, productivity and competitiveness of local enterprises.
He said the State Government was also creating more opportunities for local products to penetrate new markets, particularly in the food and beverage, agriculture, tourism, handicraft and locally sourced product sectors.
“At the same time, the State Government is strengthening innovation- and technology based entrepreneurship development, alongside rural product empowerment and skills development programmes.
“These initiatives provide opportunities for more entrepreneurs, particularly youths and rural communities, to enhance their skills, add value to their products and explore new economic opportunities,” he said.
He said cooperation between the State and Federal Governments must continue to strengthen so more Sabah entrepreneurs can sustain their businesses, scale up their operations and emerge as local business champions.
Hajiji also urged Sabah entrepreneurs to seize opportunities through the HPM Carnival, including financing consultations, digital training, and business matching sessions offered by KUSKOP agencies and the state's strategic partners.
“We must not be content with our existing markets. Improve product packaging, branding and consistency to become more competitive,” he said.
He expressed confidence that close cooperation between the State Government, Federal Government, financial institutions, the private sector and the business community could create an ecosystem that would enable more local enterprises to grow and penetrate global markets.
Ends