Sabah To Expand SME-UP Grant To Service Sector Next Year - Ewon
BELURAN, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- Sabah will expand the scope of the SME-UP Grant aid to the service sector in the state next year, said Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick.
Ewon, who is also the state’s Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, said the special grant assistance scheme offered to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) was previously open only to the manufacturing and production sectors.
“The allocation, managed through the Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR) to assist MSMEs in enhancing their capacity, competitiveness and business development within the state, is specifically intended for the manufacturing and production sectors covering machinery used to transform raw materials into intermediate goods or final products.
“However, after nearly a year in this ministry, both I and Assistant Minister Datuk Jonnybone Kurum have received numerous inquiries from MSME operators, including those in the tourism services, clinical, legal and retail sectors, regarding their status, as these businesses provide services to customers and create employment opportunities,” he told reporters after officiating at the Beluran edition of the 'Hawkers and Small Traders Day' (HPPK) 2026 mini-carnival here today.
Ewon said the matter has been presented to the state cabinet, and he is confident it will be incorporated into the Sabah Budget.
He added that his ministry would continuously explore and introduce new initiatives to assist and support relevant MSME entrepreneurs, ensuring they remain capable of contributing to the state's economic development.
“On Nov 18, in my capacity as chairman of the Sabah Hawkers and Small Traders Consultative Council, I will chair the council’s inaugural meeting and this serves as an excellent platform to hear the voices and needs of this group,” he said.
Regarding the HPPK 2026 programme, Ewon said this mini-carnival represents the Sabah government’s recognition of the role and contributions of the state's MSME community.
Besides the Beluran edition, the programme is scheduled to take place in three other districts, namely Kota Marudu, Putatan and Kota Belud, in November and December, he added.
-- BERNAMA