Budget 2025 to prioritise technopreneurs, SMEs, says DPM Zahid

KUCHING (Oct 5): The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) will place focus on the technopreneur sector in the Budget 2025 that will be tabled in Parliament on Oct 18.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said technopreneurs are entrepreneurs who make the best use of technology and new techniques, and as such, play a pivotal role in this era.

“Among those that we will focus on (in the Budget) is the technopreneur sector.

“This Oct 18, KKDW is also one of the ministries that will focus on the existence of small and medium entrepreneurs,” he told reporters after visiting the Titan Byte E-Sport Gaming Hub at Juma’ani Pavilion here today.

Also present were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian; Deputy Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Snowdan Lawan; Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Rubiah Wang; and Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (Centexs) chief executive officer Dato Syeed Mohd Hussien Wan Abdul Rahman.

Ahmad Zahid, who is Rural and Regional Development Minister, also said that his ministry will continue to strengthen the role of HI-TVET (Hi-level TVET) under the Budget.

He said KKDW will work with the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives to facilitate financing facilities for entrepreneurs.

On his visit to the hub, Ahmad Zahid said it was part of his series of visits to several TVET institutions including Centexs in Lundu and the eSports Centre in Juma’ani Pavilion.

He said he was amazed by the achievements made at Centexs in various fields.

“I focus on HI-TVET and I can see that at Centexs HI-TVET courses have been carried out not only in the field of electronics, but also in the mechanical field.

“I am amazed by the fine handwork of the students and hope these can be commercialised and distributed in the market.

“In my opinion, the market is quite broad here and this should be encouraged,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid is currently here on a two-day official visit having arrived yesterday evening at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Kuching Air Base.

Earlier, he paid a visit to the Salcra Bajo Training Centre in Lundu before proceeding to Centexs Lundu to attend a Leaders Meet the People session.

He is expected to return to Kuala Lumpur this evening.