| James Kon |
MINISTER of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong advised the country’s Village Consultative Councils (MPK) to not be content with the amount of revenue raised from the products of the ‘One Village, One Product’ (1K1P) initiative, urging them to step up efforts to develop these often home-based businesses into small enterprises to ensure their sustainability and to draw a higher income.
The minister was the guest of honour yesterday morning at the launch of the first edition of the Tutong District’s 1K1P guidebook at the old Tutong District Office building on Jalan Enchi Awang, Tutong.
He highlighted that BND615,000 in revenue was collected from sales of 23 out of 97 1K1P products registered in 2018, a result he said “is very encouraging”. This total does not include sales of products from individual entrepreneurs involved in the rapidly growing local cottage industry, the minister noted.
For the Tutong District alone, there are seven products which have raked in over BND10,000 in revenue in 2018.
“The village consultative councils should not be content with the amount of revenue (from these products) because it is not yet a guaranteed source of revenue that can help raise the village’s economy,” the minister said. “Village Consultative Councils should increase their efforts to lift the 1K1P products to become small enterprises, and then progress (the operations) to higher level to earn higher revenue and (make them sustainable).
“Looking at the age of the 1K1P products and their performance, as well as the suitability and coordination of the 1K1P concept, maybe it’s time for us to re-evaluate (the initiative) in line with the current economy’s development as products that can generate revenue for villagers and entrepreneurs in addition to being a source of (long-term) employment, not just part-time work.”
Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar said that he believes the Tutong District’s 1K1P guidebook will help encourage business networking and opening up business opportunities by facilitating direct contact between entrepreneurs and local companies, with regard to the purchase of the products.
Meanwhile, Tutong District Officer Shamsul Bahrin bin Haji Mohd Hussain highlighted that the Tutong District’s 1K1P guidebook is part of a continuous effort by the Tutong District Office and the Tutong District Tourism Promotion and Coordination Body to develop the district’s 1K1P products.
The Tutong District’s 1K1P guidebook is published in phases. For the first phase, more than 100 products from 27 1K1P entrepreneurs are listed in the book under the categories of food, drink and health products.
“The guidebook serves as a shopping directory for members of the public, showing pictures and the names and addresses of the entrepreneurs, the types of products, as well as their contact numbers. This is to enable direct contact between buyers and the entrepreneurs,” Shamsul Bahrin noted.
Following the 1K1P guidebook launch, the Minister of Home Affairs officiated the Tutong Destination Gallery and toured a number of exhibitions featured in the guidebook.
Permanent Secretary (Safety, Welfare and Law) at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) Mohd Amir Hairil bin Haji Mahmud; Permanent Secretary (Municipal and District) at the MoHA Salminan bin Haji Burut; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Security and Welfare) at the MoHA Ajman bin Haji Meludin; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Municipal and District) at the MoHA Abdul Walid bin Haji Matassan; Legislative Council members; and Chief Executive Officer-cum-Chairperson of the Tutong District Tourism Promotion and Coordination Body Muhammad Amir bin Haji Umarali were also present.