James Kon
The public is urged to support local companies under the Youth Development Centre’s (PPB) Incubation Programme after another three new businesses opened doors at the VIP parking space underneath the main staircase of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium yesterday.
The newly set up businesses – Gentlemen Stitch Enterprise, KOPPB Mini Mart and Mazroni BKP Enterprise dan Rakan Rakan tailoring shop – were launched by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin during the signing and handing over of the grant ceremony for the incubator of the PPB and the handing over of certificates to the tailoring community programme (fifth Prihatin Programme).
PPB Assistant Director under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Fauziah binti Haji Md Salleh in her welcoming remarks said the public should be proud with the efforts and success achieved by incubators of the PPB.
“Unified support and cooperation from industry stakeholders also play an important role in their success. Let us continue to support the locals not only among youth but also the vulnerable groups to expand their business to increase socio-economic progress of the country thus helping to reduce unemployment. If we do not support them, who else would?” she asked.
The ceremony saw the signing and handing over of grant to five local companies in the PPB’s Incubation Programme. They are Kemari Farm Enterprise, Cerita Fabrikku, Mazroni BKP Enterprise dan Rakan Rakan, Barberku and Gentlemen Stitch Enterprise.
Fauziah said the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam through the PPB under the MCYS implemented the PPB Incubation Programme from 2019 providing skills, grants and a place for business incubation for those who chose entrepreneurship as their career.
“Today, we witness the success of the Incubation Programme that has seen locals venture into the field of entrepreneurship and are competing with other companies. Since 2019, BND47,839 was given to 30 recipients from 17 companies.”
Giving a brief information of the recipients, she said, “Kemari Farm Enterprise known as KFE is a local company comprising three youth who participated in the farm and agriculture exposure programme of PPB in 2019. KFE is the first youth incubator placed in the area of PPB since October 2019 and received a grant totalling BND1,000 in January 2020 to start their business and BND1,000 in March 2020 to purchase equipment. They have managed to produce vegetables using hydroponics like green coral lettuce and mint. To date, they have recorded a BND5,000 profit by selling 258,920 grammes of vegetables since March 2020.
“The second company, Cerita Fabrikku, comprises five youth from i-Ready who are based in a PPB workshop since October 14, 2019 and they received a BND2,000 grant to help start the business. They have provided employment to 12 other youth and generated around 4,000 pieces of shirts every month for overseas bookings and have expanded their business by taking more bookings within the country.
“The third company is Mazroni BKP Enterprise dan Rakan Rakan which was started by seven females who participated in the third Prihatin programme tailoring course in 2019. The company started operations in the PPB’s tailoring workshop from December 2019 and received orders to stitch Malay style clothing like Cara Melayu for the MCYS in conjunction with National Day 2020, uniform for Yayasan and face masks for Peradian, TAP and TAIB. The company has expanded and will open a tailoring shop at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.
“The fourth company is Barberku, a new company set up on September 4. The company comprises four youth who are participants of the Street Art Haircut of PPB. The company received a BND1,500 grant to start the business. They have received a very encouraging response from the public and the highest number of customers in a day was 20 clients.
“The fifth company Gentlemen Stitch Enterprise, is a local tailoring shop focussing on men’s suit, clothing and long pants. The company comprises the founder who received a BND2,000 grant in 2019 to start the business and received a further BND2,000 to expand the business. The company received its highest booking with a BND1,000 income. It also teaches trainees of the PPB, community programmes of PPB of the welfare complex as well as the Al-Islah Centre.”
She also highlighted that PPB Cooperative Berhad with the name KOPPB will launch its minimart. KOPPB was established on April 3, 2004 to hire graduate trainees of PPB to venture into the entrepreneurship field according to the courses offered. KOPPB has received contract services on preparing food and drinks of PPB’s trainees since 2005 until 2019 with the estimated income of not more than BND300,000 in a year.
Following the launch, the minister toured the shop premises. Legislative Council members and senior officials from the MCYS also participated.