KUCHING: Bumiputera entrepreneurs in Sarawak are urged to advance their knowledge and expertise in the oil and gas sector in order to seize business opportunities there.
Deputy Premier and International Trade, Industry and Investment Minister (MINTRED) Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan emphasised that as a region with huge natural resources, the said industry plays an important role in Sarawak’s economic development.
Thus, the Sarawak government and Petronas have signed a Commercial Settlement Agreement (CSA) in an effort to revive exploration and production (E&P) activities in Sarawak.
“My ministry has been appointed as the secretariat for Sub-Committee 4: Industry Participation of Sarawakian Companies to increase the involvement of Sarawak oil and gas vendors and contractors in the sector,” he said.
He said this in his text speech, which was read by his deputy minister Datuk Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, at the Sarawak Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Award Giving Ceremony at Riverside Majestic Hotel last night (Jan 13).
In light of this, he also stated that the regional government has always been committed to aiding the rakyat, including entrepreneurs, regardless of their background.
Therefore, the regional government, through MINTRED and other government agencies, has provided various forms of assistance to the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Sarawak.
“Thus far, more than RM590 million has been disbursed by these agencies, and their assistance has benefited more than 85,000 SMEs here in 2022.
“With that, I once again call on all entrepreneurs to seize the opportunities provided to increase their business capacity while contributing to the economic growth of Sarawak.
“I also encouraged Bumiputera business owners to collaborate with non-Bumiputera entrepreneurs to advance their knowledge and abilities in the industry,” he pointed out.
