By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 12: The Sarawak government will set up the Bumiputera Business Empowerment Fund and Business Recovery Assistance Fund to assist Bumiputera businesses next year.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the Bumiputera Business Empowerment Fund will be allocated a sum of RM10 million to help Bumiputera business associations to weather the Covid-19 pandemic through business enhancement programmes.
“Whereas, for the Business Recovery Assistance Fund, a one-off special grant of RM20 million will be set aside to assist Sarawak Business Federation and its 15 affiliates to organise capacity building and enterprise development programmes for their members,” he said in his Sarawak Budget 2022 statement today.
The chief minister also said in line with ‘Strategic Thrust 3: Facilitating and Sustaining Business Recovery’, the State government will continue to assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to recover and rebuild their business while facilitating the establishment of new start-ups.
“In 2022, a total sum of RM25.1 million will be allocated to facilitate the recovery of businesses, SMEs, and micro-entrepreneurs through the implementation of interest subsidy schemes under Special Relief Facility, Targeted Relief and Recovery Facility and Penjana Tourism Financing.
“The 2022 Budget will also provide a sum of RM24.5 million for entrepreneurship programmes, Sarawak Micro Credit Scheme, Skim Pinjaman Industri Kecil Dan Sederhana, Go Digital Programme, and Digital Marketing Training,” he added. — DayakDaily
