KOTA KINABALU, A total of RM20.65 million worth in business sales has been achieved by the alumni of the Bumiputera Youth Entrepreneur Budding Programme (TUBE) in Sabah since its inception in 2014, said the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick.
He said a total of 7,738 TUBE participants in the state had been trained and of that number 1,157 had successfully registered their businesses and created 2,039 job opportunities.
He said the highest distribution of grants would always go to Sabah participants every time the programme is held.
“This shows the seriousness and high interest of Sabah Bumiputera youth to venture into entrepreneurship to contribute to the economic development of the country and Sabah in particular,” he said when speaking at a get-together with TUBE Sabah alumni here today.
Ewon said TUBE alumni who own micro-enterprises can apply for a grant of up to 70 per cent under the Bumiputera Enterprise Enhancement Programme (BEEP) PLUS up to a maximum of RM250,000 to improve business operational capabilities.
He said they can also apply for grants under the existing BEEP for up to a maximum of RM500,000, especially for businesses with a solid financial position to increase business capacity.
He also urged TUBE Sabah alumni to apply for the Bumiputera Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), a new funding assistance programme in collaboration with Funding Societies Malaysia (Modalku Venture Sdn Bhd).
The TUBE programme implemented by the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative Ministry through SME Corp Malaysia aims to encourage Bumiputera youth aged between 18 and 30 to venture into business.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency