KUCHING: There is a need to relook at issues affecting Bumiputera entrepreneurs, such as expediting approval and issuance of business licences, coordination and consolidation of information as well as improvement on competency and quality of entrepreneurs.

State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani mentioned this when officiating the ‘Bumiputera Entrepreneurship Roundtable’ organised by Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Development Unit (UPUB) under the Chief Minister’s Department and Sarawak Development Institute (SDI) at a hotel here recently.

It saw participation of 40 individuals from community associations, business bodies and chambers, universities, government agencies, local authorities and non-governmental organisations.

It was moderated by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas)’s Institute of East Asian Studies director, Assoc Prof Dr Shahren Ahmad Zaidi Adruce.

The roundtable was held as the follow-up to Bumiputera entrepreneurship issues raised during the 6th Cultural Symposium, which pertained to funding, collaboration, participation opportunities, business integrity and quality, development programmes and training, as well as Bumiputera Entrepreneurs’ database and information hub.

Participants also raised issues of bureaucracy and requirements affecting business registrations, funding and financing schemes for young entrepreneurs; and the need for training to be categorised and implemented properly.

The also discussed the idea of establishing a central agency for Bumiputera entrepreneurship to coordinate and consolidate information, inculcate business integrity and quality as a culture among entrepreneurs, as well as to recognise the role of business chambers and associations to control and regulate their members.

Prior to the roundtable, organisations such as UPUB, Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju) and SME Corporation Sarawak also updated participants on their latest services.