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DUKeD's Performance In Developing Small Entrepreneurs Satisfactory, Says Ewon
TAWAU, April 6 (Bernama) -- The performance of the SmallVillage Entrepreneurs Dialogue (DUKeD) programme is satisfactory to date, saidthe state Minister of Rural Development, Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin.
The DUKeD was launched 10 years ago to encourage theparticipation of bumiputeras in small businesses.
He said based on studies involving 4,562 participants whohad been associated with the dialogue, 45 per cent of them agreed to havingreceived benefits from it, whether in the form of loans, training or advise.
The study also showed, 85 per cent of participants hadinteracted with government agencies, in relation to their development as smallentrepreneurs.
"Although the performance of DUKeD is satisfactoryto date, we will not just stop at this but continue to assist in thedevelopment of even more small entrepreneurs," he said here Tuesday.
Ewon told this to reporters after officiating the TawauZone DUKeD programme which saw the participation of about 300 small villageentrepreneurs.
A total of 11 working papers will be tabled byrepresentatives from financial institutions as well as government agencies onbusiness opportunties at the three-day event.
An exhibition on the activities of government agencies isalso being held in conjunction with the Sabah Rural Development Programmealongside the sales of various products by the village entrepreneurs fromthroughout the state.
According to Ewon, the dialogue was held by the ministryafter it realised that the group of village entrepreneurs were still lacking inmany things, including the aspect of knowledge as well as capital.
Through the dialogue, the entrepreneurs are exposed tovarious business opportunities, bank and government loan facilities as well asproviding participants with the space to widen their business network.
"This is one of the programmes slotted under the NewEconomic Model (NEM).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak whileannouncing the NEM said that entrepreneurs were one of its components," heexplained.
Ewon disclosed that new elements would be inducted intothe DUKeD programme in future, in line with the needs of the NEM, through inputobtained from the dialogue.-- BERNAMA
