State govt will filter name list to ensure women entrepreneurs eligible for BKSS, GKP get approval

Abang Johari (left) presenting the Datuk Laila Taib Award to Batang Lupar MP Datuk Seri Rohani Karim (second right) at the event. 

KUCHING: The state government will be filtering the name list of women entrepreneurs applying for the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) and Geran Khas Prihatin (GKP) who failed to get approval because their businesses are not licensed or not registered with any local authorities.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said he will look into this issue and has requested the State Secretary Office and the Women Entrepreneurs Business Registration and Licensing Programme (Puwas) task force to filter out the names of applicants who have missed out on all government aid, including BKSS.

“What happened was, a lot of these women entrepreneurs are not registered with the local authorities. They haven’t gotten any business licenses, but they are producing their products from home.

“Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah wants these people to be included, registered with them. So I’m looking into it, we want to filter it (the name list),” he said.

Abang Johari was speaking to reporters after officiating at the Sarawak Women’s Day 2020 celebration at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here this afternoon, commenting on the Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development request for the state government for an additional grant for Puwas to help women entrepreneurs who have yet to receive any aid.

Fatimah earlier in her speech during the Sarawak Women’s Day 2020 celebration said many women entrepreneurs were left out from the various government aids because one of the criteria for application is having a business permit or license.

“Realising that many women entrepreneurs are being left out from receiving these aids, the ministry has set up Puwas.

“Collaborating with other agencies such as the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development (Mintred), the local governments, the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) and district offices, this task force will focus on consultancy with these women entrepreneurs so that they will be licensed and have permits,” she said.

Fatimah said between July 9 and Aug 24, Puwas has received 4,190 applications statewide, and has carried out three sessions in Kuching, Subis and Dalat.

For Kuching (July 14-15), 102 participants applied for business licenses and permits, Subis (Aug 10-11) 20, and Dalat (Aug 21-22) 66, she elaborated.

In his speech, Abang Johari said apart from making sure no deserving women entrepreneurs would be left out from receiving these government aids while facing various challenges during the MCO, he hoped the name filtering and screening process would also avoid any duplication.

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