KINABATANGAN: The inaugural Lamag Entrepreneurs Awards held recently has highlighted the determination of women in the interior district who are using entrepreneurship to improve their livelihoods and support their families.
Organised by the Lamag Community Service Unit, the event recognised small business owners from the area, most of whom are women from farming and low-income families. It also served as a platform to encourage more participation among rural women in economic activities through small and medium enterprises.
Lamag Community Service Unit chairman Mohd Ismail Ayob said nearly 80 per cent of entrepreneurs in Lamag are women, many of whom started small before expanding their ventures with assistance from State and Federal agencies.
“This programme connects the State and Federal governments with local entrepreneurs through data and outreach,” he said.
“As the community service unit, we help identify and channel various forms of support to existing and new entrepreneurs in Kinabatangan so that more people can build sustainable businesses.”
He added that the initiative was part of ongoing efforts to encourage rural communities to take advantage of entrepreneurship programmes offered by government agencies to improve their livelihoods.
Tekun Nasional Kinabatangan branch manager Khairuddin Pillip Nuing said the agency has assisted around 6,000 entrepreneurs since it began operating in 1999, with total financing exceeding RM60 million.
“Tekun Nasional has been operating in Kinabatangan since 1999, and so far we’ve helped about 6,000 entrepreneurs with total financing of more than RM60 million,” he said.
“For this year alone, the amount channelled to assist small business owners in the district is close to RM5 million.”
Among those recognised was Radeyanah Ayu Ismail, who received the Best Entrepreneur Award under Yayasan Usaha Maju (YUM). She began selling food and beverages before expanding into a fresh market and later diversifying into other types of businesses.
“I started with food and drinks, and after receiving financial support from YUM, I was able to expand and open a fresh market,” she said. “Over time, I diversified my business into other areas, and the total RM150,000 in loans I received helped me grow and support my family.”
Chairperson of the Lamag Entrepreneurs Council Rosmah Asor, who received the Leadership Award, expressed gratitude to the organisers for recognising the contributions of women entrepreneurs in Lamag.
“I’m thankful for this recognition,” she said. “It motivates women like us to continue developing our businesses and contribute to the local economy.”
The organisers said the Lamag Entrepreneurs Awards will be made an annual event to celebrate the achievements and resilience of rural entrepreneurs, particularly women who have proven that determination and hard work can change lives.
