One-stop centre to help micro-entrepreneurs reach wider markets

KUCHING: Sarawak’s One Stop Collection Centre (OSCC) will serve as an integrated platform to elevate product quality and expand market access for local micro-entrepreneurs.

Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the facility goes beyond product aggregation by offering grading, repackaging, promotion, and marketing support.

She said the centre directly addresses one of the primary hurdles faced by small-scale producers, specifically packaging standards for commercial and international markets.

“One of the major constraints faced by our entrepreneurs is packaging. While standard packaging may suffice for local consumption, products intended for overseas markets require significant refinement,” she said during the Welfare Micro-Entrepreneur Award 2026 ceremony at the Metrocity Event Centre (MCEC) here today (Oct 4).

Located at Lots 11419 and 11420, Block 59, Muara Tuang Land District, the 1,245-square-metre OSCC facility was physically completed on Dec 22, 2022.

Fatimah explained that items gathered at the centre will undergo quality grading prior to packaging, promotion, and distribution.

She cited potential supply opportunities such as catering local delicacies like kueh sepit or pineapple tarts for regional airlines like AirBorneo, provided the items meet stringent presentation and packaging standards.

She added that the ministry is also leveraging the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS) and regional trade channels in Brunei Darussalam to export local goods.

Beyond market access, the OSCC houses an entrepreneur incubator to deliver practical, hands-on training in digital marketing, online advertising, and product promotion.

“We will also offer technical support to help micro-entrepreneurs, particularly those from the B40 group, improve their product standards rather than simply rejecting items that fall short of initial criteria,” she added.

Fatimah emphasized that the OSCC ultimately aims to boost both quality and collective output, enabling local producers to meet large-quantity demands from international buyers.