Mintred: Nominations for Sarawak Entrepreneur of the Year Awards now open

KUCHING (July 6): The nominations for the Sarawak Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (EOYS) 2024 are now open, said state Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment (Mintred).

Mintred, as the event’s main organiser, has collaborated with Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) to hold this annual event meant to honour and acknowledge exceptional entrepreneurial talent and leadership.

First launched in 2004, EOYS aims to give recognition to the best in Sarawak’s business, to acknowledge the success of up-and-coming entrepreneurs, and encourage the growth of small and medium scale industries in Sarawak, said Mintred in a press statement yesterday.

“Up to last year, close to 80 entrepreneurs from all over Sarawak have been given this recognition, of which in 2023, the recipients of the Master Entrepreneur category were Datuk Lau Nai Hoh, Fam Khing Foh, Dayang Azizah Abang Zaidan, William Liang Tak Chiang and Ch’ng Bee Lian, with Lin Kok Kiat being the award recipient for the Emerging Entrepreneur category,” it said.

“There was also a special award under the Outstanding Entrepreneurship category which went to Dato Yong Piaw Soon,” it added.

The contested categories for EOYS 2024 are the Emerging Entrepreneur Award, Master Entrepreneur Award, and Excellent Entrepreneur – Beyond Sarawak Award.

For the Emerging Entrepreneur category, nomination is open to new businesses between three to five years old, or to entrepreneurs aged 35 and below at the time before the close of nomination on August 30, 2024.

The Master Entrepreneur category, meanwhile, is open to businesses with an excellent track record in management and which have been founded for over five years.

The Excellent Entrepreneur – Beyond Sarawak category, on the other hand, opens its nominations for successful businesses in Malaysia or overseas.

“EOYS’s nomination and selection will primarily be on the individuals’ attributes over the company’s and in general, their demonstration of outstanding leadership, vision and dedication, as well as intelligent risk taking,” said Mintred.

Among other criteria for this award eligibility, it added, were the entrepreneurs’ ability to overcome adversity, their demonstration of resilience in adapting to business disruptions, and their outlook on corporate culture, values, modern technology, as well as their social initiatives and contributions to the community.

The EOYS, it pointed out, provides opportunities for networking and accessing valuable media coverage, raising personal and company profiles.

For instance, the EOYS Adjudicating Committee has nominated recipients of the recent EOYS Awards to represent Sarawak at the Malaysia EY Entrepreneur of the Year (EOY) Awards.

“The nominated representative has access to a range of events to help the nominee’s company achieve its potential, as well as the opportunity to join a group of illustrious alumni,” it said, adding that videos of the past EOYS recipients from Year 2015 onwards could be viewed under SCCI’s Youtube channel.

Nominations for the EOYS can be submitted to SCCI through business associations or individuals, by August 30, 2024.

For more information, contact SCCI secretariat on 082-237148 or email at [email protected].