Kuching: The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP) has built and upgraded a total of 39 Tamu Desa (Village Guest) premises across Sarawak over the past year, with a total allocation of RM7.85 million. Its minister, Datuk Ewon Benedick, stated that the project’s implementation is being carried out in phases in collaboration with the local authorities (PBT) involved.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the initiative was first introduced by KUSKOP to improve guest markets in Sabah and Sarawak, starting in 2024. The project will continue this year, with discussions planned with the state government to determine the implementation mechanism. This includes considering requests from several Sarawak Members of Parliament (MPs) to assist stalls and tamu (markets) in rural areas.
Datuk Ewon Benedick mentioned that the development project for Tamu Desa premises is part of KUSKOP’s ongoing commitment to empower the rural community’s economy and encourage the active participation of small entrepreneurs in the local economic system in Sabah and Sarawak. He has received four applications from Sarawak MPs seeking to expand the initiative in the state. He plans to discuss with Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan to select a suitable location for the project.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Ewon detailed that for the Tamu Desa project in Sarawak, a total of 13 projects have been implemented, costing RM1.99 million, all of which were fully completed under Phase 1. Phase 2 involves 26 projects with an allocation of RM5.85 million. Ongoing projects, including Tamu Semarak and Tamu Sukma, are expected to be completed next month (August).
The statement further explained that the upgrading of the Tamu Sungai Apong was conducted in two phases at a cost of RM416,000, with RM116,000 under Phase 1 and RM300,000 under Phase 2. This initiative aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem by providing a more conducive business infrastructure for rural entrepreneurs, particularly in Sarawak.
Overall, a total of 100 Tamu Desa projects have been implemented in Sabah and Sarawak in two phases over the past year, comprising 61 projects in Sabah and 39 in Sarawak.