KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives will set up a council for entrepreneurs, cooperatives, hawkers and petty traders this year, said its Deputy Minister, K. Saraswathi.
She said this was aimed at facilitating matters, including issues on licences and business sites, and that it was still studying in detail the preparation of the Terms of Reference (ToR) document before its implementation is announced later.
“This is the government’s initiative to expedite the delivery system instead of the people always relying on the Member of Parliament to bring up (any issues) with the ministry... so, this will make it easier for the community,” she told Bernama.
She said the council would also be a one-stop centre for entrepreneurs, cooperatives, hawkers and petty traders, involving local authorities in every district in their respective states, with monitoring carried out by the ministry.
Previously, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick hoped that the council, which would be chaired by the respective district officers, would be able to manage development and resolve issues involving entrepreneurs, cooperatives, hawkers and petty traders at the grassroots level more effectively.
Commenting on the re-tabling of Budget 2023, which will focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Saraswathi believes that it is capable of giving a boost to the national economy.
“On our part, we want to focus on the development of new entrepreneurs and also help existing ones to grow from small to medium and from medium to large.
“... so, we have three objectives, namely to assist entrepreneurs to increase their involvement; to focus (development of entrepreneurs) on current interests which is to lower the cost of living; and paying attention to the export industry,” she said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was reported to have said that the government would focus on SMEs when Budget 2023 is presented again next month. - Bernama
