BETONG: AIM Betong Entrepreneur Carnival 2018 recently is expected to continue to have impact on the local economic development and will become starting points for small rural traders to succeed in larger business endeavours.
Works Minister, Baru Bian, said he understood that AIM Betong through Kelab Usahanita Ikhtiar Betong (KUIB) was one of the best in managing their finances.
From 2014 until today all Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) members have paid their loans without fail.
Baru said AIM had succeeded in changing the rural economic landscape and its programme should be strongly supported to help the people earn higher income.
He also urged the people in Betong, through AIM, to work together and venture into modern agriculture which focused on fertigation and hydroponics as they are easy and provided better income in comparison to traditional farming.
Taking an example of a vegetable such as “midin” (a type of fern), Baru said it could be commercialised and exported.
It may never have been thought by us that midin, the vegetable that we see daily, is capable of generating income and possibly get exported.
Similarly, using hydroponics, eliminates the excuse of having no land for farming because various types of crops can be grown hydroponically.
However, he stressed that not all could be implemented successfully unless the entrepreneurs, such as AIM members, changed their mindset.
What is important is the readiness of the members to change and embrace modernity and follow current demands as well as improve themselves by attending various courses organised by AIM and various other agencies.
Baru said AIM members must intensify their creativity and innovation in producing quality products and services; maximise or leverage the use of technology in business; and enhance their competitiveness as well as strengthen their resilience in the new economic landscape.
“AIM members must change their perceptions and not only do business to raise their families, but also go further and reach a level that one can be proud of, beyond the borders of the country and to the global level,” he said.
He added that all was possible if entrepreneurship was co-implemented with the current government that provides various facilities to rural entrepreneurs through the Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Agriculture.
He said this in his text of speech read by his press secretary, Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh, at the opening ceremony of AIM Betong Entrepreneur Carnival at Dewan Panglima Rentap, Betong recently.
Among the activities that were held during the programme were telematches and booth sales.
Also present at the event were Sarawak Zone AIM operations director Mohd Khairul Amri, AIM Central Region manager Haryati Dahari, Betong Branch AIM manager and Kelab Usahanita Ikhtiar Betong (KUIB) advisor, Zaliha Abu Bakar, Central Region AIM Entrepreneur Development executive Mohd Zamirul Kifli and Kelab Usahanita Ikhtiar Betong (KUIB) chairperson, Jerinah Arshad.
