Ewon Inspects Tawau Port and Engages with Three Local Entrepreneurs
17 March 2026
TAWAU: Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister of Industry Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, Datuk Ewon Benedick, conducted a working visit to Tawau to review Tawau Port and visit three local entrepreneurs today.
He, along with the ministry's delegation, began the visit by inspecting Tawau Port before being briefed by the Senior Port Manager, Elsie Philip, regarding the operations and current developments of the facility.
Ewon stated that he appreciated the ongoing initiatives under the new leadership of Suria Capital Holdings Berhad and Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd, which are committed to enhancing port operational efficiency through the procurement of new machinery.
He noted that these efforts align with Tawau’s rapidly growing economy, which necessitates more efficient logistics systems.
“I also emphasise the importance of strengthening communication between port management and users to ensure that every initiative implemented is understood and fully utilised,” he said.
During the visit, he was also taken to inspect the Sabah Department of Marina and Port jetty, used for passenger transportation to Pulau Sebatik.
Additionally, Ewon visited Shasyn Food Processing, a company that produces meatball products.
He mentioned that while serving at the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Co-operatives (KUSKOP), the company received a grant for machinery that is now used in their production.
He further added that the Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR), under the Ministry of Industry Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport (MINDET) Sabah, also assisted in obtaining halal certification for the premises.
“It is hoped that this company will continue to grow, including with the construction of a new factory currently underway, and serve as an example to other entrepreneurs,” he said.
Meanwhile, he also visited KHM Trading, a company producing sauce products based on beef, chicken, and fish.
Ewon said that the company received packaging assistance from MINDET Sabah, and is also involved in poultry farming as a raw material source and provides catering services.
“May this company continue to thrive and serve as an example to other entrepreneurs,” he added.
In a separate visit, Ewon also toured Kerupuk Lelek Enterprise, which produces amplang crackers.
He mentioned that during his time at KUSKOP, the company received a grant for packaging machinery that helped increase productivity.
He further said that MINDET Sabah also provided packaging assistance to the company.
“Hopefully, this company will continue to grow, including opening new branches in Kota Kinabalu, and become an inspiration to other entrepreneurs,” he concluded.
It is great to see Datuk Ewon Benedick taking such a hands-on approach by visiting both the logistics side of Tawau and the actual entrepreneurs on the ground. Improving port efficiency is vital, but seeing how the grants for machinery and packaging assistance have directly impacted businesses like Shasyn Food and Kerupuk Lelek shows where the real growth happens. It’s that combination of infrastructure and small business support that really drives a local economy. I saw a similar update on https://englandderbyshire.co.uk/ about how targeted government grants can be the turning point for family-run enterprises looking to scale up. Hopefully, these success stories in Tawau encourage more local makers to apply for that kind of support.
The combination of port infrastructure review and direct engagement with local food entrepreneurs in the same working visit shows a joined up approach to economic development that often gets missed when these visits are reported separately. The thread connecting government grants, halal certification support and packaging assistance across all three businesses shows how sustained institutional backing can move small producers forward. Came across a regional economic development feature over at https://direwolfseo.co.uk/ that covered similar ministerial engagement with local entrepreneurs which felt very relevant here. Amplang crackers expanding to Kota Kinabalu branches would be a great next chapter for Kerupuk Lelek Enterprise.
Finishing a long and challenging level in Geometry Dash right before quitting for the day felt perfect. Ending on a victory made the entire grind satisfying.