KOTA BELUD: Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick said the Inclusive Business Development Programme launched in Kampung Podos here, Monday, is expected to increase local incomes while empowering rural communities.
The programme, which involves residents in the entire value chain from raw material production to finished products, aims to bridge the economic gap in rural areas and create marketable goods for domestic and international markets.
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Ewon, who is also Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transportation Minister, expressed appreciation to SME Corp Malaysia for selecting Kampung Podos as the implementation site for what he described as an important initiative.
“I would like to thank SME Corp Malaysia, an agency under the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development, for choosing Kampung Podos as the location for this programme, which is among the important initiatives to narrow the economic gap in rural areas,” he said at the launch of the Sabah Inclusive Business Development Pilot Project at Kampung Podos.
Ewon, who is also Kadamaian Assemblyman, said the location was particularly suitable as it provides opportunities for local residents to participate directly in community-based economic activities through the Inclusive Business approach.
He noted that the project focuses on empowering women and rural communities still facing economic challenges, in line with the national entrepreneurship development focus under the 13th Malaysia Plan.
The one-year Inclusive Business Development project in Kampung Podos will be implemented in four phases of guidance, including product development, skills enhancement, business management and marketing.
Ewon said that continued cooperation between State and Federal agencies is crucial for developing micro, small and medium enterprises, particularly in rural areas.
He hopes the project would have a positive impact on rural economic development and contribute to increasing incomes for residents of Kampung Podos, in line with the State’s development aspirations that prioritise the people’s wellbeing.
