PENAMPANG, SABAH, Malaysia August 5, 2025 – Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick revealed that 184 Bumiputera entrepreneurs from Sabah and Sarawak have received assistance under the Bumiputera Entrepreneur Enhancement Programme Sabah and Sarawak (BEEP PLUS) initiative since its launch in 2023.
BEEP PLUS, a matching grant program, aims to support the expansion of micro, small, and medium enterprises (PMKS) among Bumiputera communities in the two states. It is implemented by SME Corp. Malaysia, an agency under the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP).
“This initiative represents an additional targeted approach I introduced at KUSKOP to address the needs of key groups in Sabah and Sarawak, aligning with the National Eastward Policy from KUSKOP’s perspective,” Ewon said. “It focuses on entrepreneurship development tailored to the unique issues and challenges in both states.”
The program was spurred by the MADANI Economy agenda presented by the Prime Minister in 2023, which allocated an extra RM100 million to SME Corp. Malaysia. Ewon subsequently launched the special grant scheme for Bumiputera entrepreneurs in Sabah and Sarawak.
“From 2023 to 2025, a total of 184 entrepreneurs have received matching grants amounting to RM15.68 million overall,” he added.
Ewon shared these details following visits to six grant recipients in Penampang and Putatan, who each received between RM20,000 and RM240,000. During the interactions, the entrepreneurs reported that the funding has boosted productivity, increased sales revenue, and helped mitigate rising operational costs. They expressed hopes for the program’s continuation to benefit more individuals.
“I plan to hold engagement sessions with grant recipients from SME Corp. in September in Sabah, using it as a platform for budget dialogues and inputs toward the mid-term review of the National Entrepreneurship Policy 2030,” Ewon stated.
Under the special development agenda for Sabah natives and Bumiputera in the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) spanning 2026-2030, he pledged to sustain BEEP PLUS alongside other relevant initiatives.
Accompanying Ewon on the visits were SME Corp. Chairman Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, CEO Rizal Nainy, and Sabah Director Valentine Thomas.