KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 — Eighteen international trade missions took place this year involving 306 halal entrepreneurs, vendors, and franchisees, and recorded potential sales value of RM1.58 billion.
According to the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry (Kuskop), it is one of the efforts of the ministry with its agencies to increase market access for the products of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), including local and international Bumiputera entrepreneurs.
It was replying to Datuk Salehuddin Saidin who asked about the government’s steps in helping Bumiputera small and medium enterprises (SME) that have quality products and are ready to be marketed locally and abroad.
Kuskop said SME Bank implements the Business Export Programme (BEP) to help bumiputera SME entrepreneurs to penetrate overseas markets.
“As of September 2024, 82 Bumiputera SME entrepreneurs participated in the BEP with an allocation of RM15.75 million,” it said in a written reply on the Dewan Negara website today.
Kuskop said SME Corp also implemented the Bumiputera Export Promotion Programme to assist bumiputera MSMEs in meeting the requirements and compliance with overseas standards.
As of October 2024, ten entrepreneurs had received approved grants worth RM1.51 million and 237 entrepreneurs had attended training and business clinics related to exports.
— Bernama
