KOTA BELUD: A total of RM29 million has been allocated through the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives to build 144 Tamu Desa premises across Sabah and Sarawak between 2024 and 2025.
Its Minister, Datuk Ewon Benedick, said out of the total, 22 premises were built in the Kadamaian state constituency within two years.
“I placed special focus on the Kadamaian constituency because since 2018, I have observed the need for such facilities, as traditional weekly tamu (market) activities here are very active from Monday to Friday.
“Thankfully, with the completion of 22 Tamu Desa facilities in Kadamaian, including Tambulion Laut, these developments have benefited not only local entrepreneurs and small traders but also visitors,” he said.
He said this after officiating the new Tamu Desa Tambulion Laut building, here, Wednesday.
The premises were built with an allocation of about RM300,000 under Kuskop.
Ewon, who is also the incumbent Assemblyman for Kadamaian, said the new facility would benefit tamu entrepreneurs and roadside vendors who will relocate to the new site, providing a more comfortable and organised trading environment.
“The tamu in Kg Tambulion Laut is held every Tuesday, and I believe this new facility will add value to local economic activities while encouraging more residents to participate in entrepreneurship,” he said.
He also thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the government’s continued commitment under Budget 2026, which allocated an additional RM20 million for the implementation of Tamu Desa projects next year.
“We continue to receive many new applications from rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak to implement Tamu Desa projects, aimed at upgrading existing facilities that serve as the economic backbone of local communities,” he said.
Ewon added the Tamu Desa facilities are not only used for trading but also serve as community centres for various purposes, including Teman Tekun weekly meetings, government agency programmes, and community activities.
“This project is not just about providing a trading space, but also acts as a catalyst for rural economic development and community well-being,” he said.
To date, Tamu Desa facilities have been built in various locations across Sabah, including Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Telupid, Sipitang, Ranau, Penampang, Keningau, Tawau, Semporna and Lahad Datu, as well as several areas in Sarawak.
Also present were Kuskop Secretary-General Dato Sri Khairul Dzaimee Daud, senior ministry officials and heads of Kuskop agencies.
In conjunction with the event, Ewon also launched the Happy Jualan Madani Koperasi Program, offering up to 50 per cent discounts on consumer goods sold through cooperatives.
