Hajiji looking at the Sabah SMEs products with Finance Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun and MIDE Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe before the briefing
KOTA KINABALU: The Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry (MIDE) plans to hold four Micro, Small and Medium Entreprise (MSME) Carnivals this year.
MIDE Permanent Secretary Datuk Thomas Logijin said the carnivals would be held in Tawau, Tuaran, Kudat and Keningau.
In his briefing in conjunction with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Haji Hajiji Haji
Noor’s working visit to MIDE today, Logijin said there are 8,031 SME entrepreneurs currently registered with MIDE’s Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR).
He said various programmes have been drawn up to assist the SMEs in Sabah, such as the SME-Up programme, entrepreneur development course, Buy Sabah Products campaign, marketing and promotion of Sabah SME products at the local supermarkets, Bataras, Kedai Mesra Petronas and SMEs Product Centres.
He said the ministry has also identified 87 entrepreneurs to participate in various trade and world expositions abroad to expose their products to the international market this year.
Wrapping up his working visit to all ministries, Hajiji in response commended MIDE for its good efforts to bring foreign and domestic investments to Sabah as well as to generate income for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
“This Ministry is important because it generates income for the state, and based on the briefings today, it seems they are working very hard in line with the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya,” he said.
“What is important is that all the planning must be done systematically, and at the same time, it must not only be profitable for the bigger companies but also for the SMEs,” he said.
The Chief Minister wants MIDE to continue focusing on developing local SMEs and
assisting them in getting exposure at the international level.
He also instructed the ministry to follow through on the proposed three new industrial parks in Kudat, Beaufort and Kota Belud.
“Sabah will be able to improve its status when these new industrial parks are up and running,” he said.
The Chief Minister was also briefed by the respective heads of agencies under MIDE,
such as the Sabah Economic Development Corporation (Sedco), KKIP Sdn Bhd, Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) Lahad Datu, Sabah Oil and Gas Development Corporation (SOGDC), Invest Sabah Berhad and Sabah Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STTOS).
Present were Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim, assistant ministers and head of departments and agencies.
