Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam – File photo
KOTA KINABALU (Dec 22): The Sabah State Government plans to expand the Small and Medium Industry (SMI) Product Centre or SMI Shop to other districts in the state next year.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam told the State Legislative Assembly here today, that the SMI Product Centre managed by the Department of Industrial Development and Research was established to enable local SMI entrepreneurs to showcase and market their products conveniently.
He was responding to Datuk Jaujan Sambangkong (Warisan-Sulabayan) who had asked about the measures taken by the state government to resolve the SMI’s dilemma in regard to employee and income losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To date, the centre has more than 1,000 sellable SMI products,” said Joachim, who is also Sabah Minister of Industrial Development.
He said the state government has taken several proactive measures to help the affected SMI entrepreneurs including providing the SMI Entrepreneurs Aid Programme (BAIKS) which is a grant for the purchase of machinery and equipment as well as product packaging.
“As of today, RM10 million has been disbursed to help 1,070 entrepreneurs to improve their business. With this assistance, entrepreneurs are able to improve production capacity and retain their old workers as well as hire additional workers,” he said.
He said the state government also provided a one-off assistance of RM1,000 to 20,000 micro and cottage entrepreneurs.
He added that his ministry also launched GoBiz to assist SMI entrepreneurs in marketing their products online and to date, the e-commerce platform has helped more than 155 Sabah SMI entrepreneurs. – Bernama
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