TEKUN establishment’s presence in Penampang set to reach target groups

20 January 2024

By Wartawan Nabalu News

PENAMPANG: The presence of TEKUN Branch Office Penampang will ensure accessibility for their target groups where entrepreneurs in the district and the surrounding areas can access the services and support offered by TEKUN.

This year TEKUN Nasional has targeted RM600 million to be channeled to 33,300 informal and micro-entrepreneurs nationwide. For the state of Sabah, TEKUN Nasional has targeted RM84.5 million for 4,393 informal and micro-entrepreneurs.

Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative (MEDC) Datuk Ewon Benedick in his launching speech said his Ministry has taken the initiative to establish the groombig programme aimed at assisting entrepreneurs under its agency to obtain larger financing, training, capacity building, and entrepreneur product development provided by other agencies under MEDC.

Eligible TEKUN entrepreneurs with a good repayment record will be supported by TEKUN to obtain financing exceeding RM100,000 from other agencies under the Ministry, he said.

“To date, under the Groombig Programme, a total of 119 TEKUN entrepreneurs have obtained financing amounting to RM17.94 million from PUNB, Bank Rakyat, and SME Bank. Of this amount, 23 TEKUN entrepreneurs have obtained financing of RM5.5 million from PUNB, 69 entrepreneurs have obtained financing of RM3.94 million from Bank Rakyat, and 27 entrepreneurs have obtained financing of RM8.5 million from SME Bank,” he elaborated.

He stated that apart from financing for informal and micro-entrepreneurs, TEKUN also provides short-term financing of 6 months (factoring) to Bumiputera contractor entrepreneurs through the Contract Financing Scheme.

“Since its establishment in 2015, TEKUN has disbursed RM1.66 billion to 14,787 Bumiputera contractor entrepreneurs nationwide. In the state of Sabah, a total of 3,262 Bumiputera contractor entrepreneurs have received financing amounting to RM383.6 million for the same period. Sabah is the state with the highest disbursement of TEKUN financing to contractor entrepreneurs,” he stated.

The Contract Financing Scheme (Skim Pembiayaan Kontrak-i) offers immediate financing access to entrepreneurs who obtain direct work or supply contracts from the Federal Government, State Government, Government Agencies, and Government-Linked Companies (GLCs), pledging the contract with financing up to RM200,000.

“In 2024, TEKUN has allocated RM200 million with the aim of benefiting more than 3,100 entrepreneurs throughout the country.”

Tamu or traditional rural market are not forgotten where he said to assist the informal and micro-entrepreneurs in the Tamu Market, particularly in Borneo, TEKUN Nasional has launched the Entrepreneur Tamu Financing Scheme (SPUT) in March 2023, he said Entrepreneurs under SPUT are also protected by the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (PERKESO) as insurance coverage for individuals engaged in self-employment.

“As of December 2023, TEKUN Nasional has disbursed RM4.6 million to 1,052 Tamu Market entrepreneurs under the SPUT programme,” he said.

In today’s event several entrepreneurs received their TEKUN Assistance from the Minister after the official opening of the branch office in Penampang. Several pupils from nearby schools, such as SK Kipovo and SK Moyog also received school bags and accessories, under TEKUN Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).