KUCHING: The Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry (KUSKOP) has presented a total of 54 specific initiative proposals in its 2024 Budget application, according to its minister Datuk Ewon Benedick.
He said the proposals cover important matters that have been suggested by stakeholders, including hawkers, cooperatives, and small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs).
“This year (2023 budget) we have been allocated with RM732 million and after considering the inputs from various stakeholders across the country, the ministry has presented 54 proposed initiatives with a larger amount of budget requests than before,” he said.
He said this during a press conference after launching the opening ceremony of the Institut Keusahawanan Negara Berhad (INSKEN) Sarawak Campus branch at the Sarawak Plaza Shopping Complex today (Oct 1).
Ewon did not disclose the exact allocation request. However, he expressed confidence that the allocation for the 2024 Budget would be higher.
“Only Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim knows how much will be allocated to the ministry but I am very confident that we will be able to get better than the amount that has been approved in the 2023 Budget,” he said.
He said among the key focuses in the proposed 2024 Budget initiative is the expansion of programmes under the INSKEN agency.
“Sabah and Sarawak were among the regions that were given additional focus in the organisation of programmes under INSKEN,” he said.
