Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (“SME Bank”) has handed over a replica check worth RM847,407 to five entrepreneurs from Negeri Sembilan in conjunction with Program Jelajah Usahawan dan Koperasi Madani (PJUKM) @ NS Fest held in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.

Group Chief Corporate Strategy Officer SME Bank, Datuk Dr. Mohammad Hardee Ibrahim said, "These five entrepreneurs are participants in two of SME Bank’s structured intervention programs, namely the Business Exports Program (BEP) and the Vendor Capacity and Capability Development Program (PPKV). The Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (MECD) has appointed SME Bank as the implementing agency for these two entrepreneur development initiatives.”

BEP aims to nurture SME readiness to explore the export market. Datuk Dr. Hardee added, "Three companies under the BEP Program have received facilitation funds worth RM200,000 each as monetary support to prepare them to become regional champions on the international stage. These three companies are from the manufacturing industry and service providers.”

Two more companies that received facilitation funds worth RM200,000 and RM47,407 respectively are the Bumiputera vendors who registered with anchor companies under the Vendor Capacity Development Program, an initiative supervised by MECD. They have been selected to participate in coaching sessions to strengthen the capacity and capability of vendor companies to enable them to supply high-quality and competitive products and services in the market.

During the PJUKM, SME Bank's subsidiary, Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research Sdn. Bhd. (CEDAR) has also organised a briefing session on the Halal Certification Compliance Program for 40 companies from around Negeri Sembilan and Selangor. Datuk Dr. Hardee stated that this wholesome module will enrich entrepreneurs with the concept and importance of halal certifications, procedures and help them prepare documentation for halal certification applications.

This collaboration program between KUSKOP and CEDAR aims to benefit 120 SME companies with halal awareness and 40 companies to apply for halal certification. With this halal certification, SMEs can benefit from a wider market segment especially when consumer demand increases for halal products and services. This halal certification also serves as access to expand the customer base and explore new business opportunities both domestically and abroad.

The handing over of the mock cheque ceremony to five entrepreneurs during the Program Jelajah Usahawan dan Koperasi Madani (PJUKM) MEDC @ NS Fest Negeri Sembilan was officiated by the Minister of Entrepreneurs and Cooperatives Development, YB Datuk Ewon Benedick, and witnessed by the Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan, YB Dato' Seri Aminuddin Harun.