CERTAIN businesses within industries are in need of assistance coming out from the impact of Covid-19, and such is the case here in Sarawak.

Some need a little injection of cash to help kickstart their operations back into full swing, while others required hefty financial backing to help get them back on their feet.

On November 12, 2021, the Sarawak state government announced that the Sarawak Budget 2022 would feature a special one-off RM20 million grant to the Sarawak Business Federation (SBF) and its affiliates for the implementation of the Business Recovery Assistance Fund – shortened to Bizfund – that aims to provide and sponsor capacity building and enterprise development programmes for Sarawakian businesses.

Bizfund’s primary goal is to help support and uplift local businesses and enterprises that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic by providing and sponsoring programmes that allow the organisation and its human capital to develop necessarily skills needed to survive, grow and thrive in a modern post-covid world.

Speaking in an interview with The Borneo Post, Anne Kung, who is SBF’s deputy treasurer and the co-chair of Bizfund, shared her belief that the move of providing a RM20 million grant and entrusting Bizfund’s implementation to SBF showcases the state government’s responsiveness to the needs of local businesses and also their understanding of the plight local businesses faces in a post-covid world alongside a labour market that has shortage of relevant skills.

Bizfund-sponsored programmes to drive digital adoption

Besides providing individuals and businesses with necessary qualifications for their respective fields, Kung believes that the Bizfund sponsored courses will also be a catalyst in driving digital adoption locally as its e-commerce and ICT related courses allows participants to build digital skills that will be instrumental in keeping local businesses adapt and stay sustainable and competitive in a rapidly evolving digital world.

With 89.48 per cent of the Malaysian population forecasted to be smartphone users by 2025, it seems imperative that local businesses rapidly and continuously develop digital skills to aid in their growth and expansion.

Citing how many locals have embraced the potential of e-commerce in their daily lives, Kung commented, “The advent of technology is therefore a great enabler and it is during Covid that many Sarawakians, through sure necessity for survival, found this avenue. Today, many are embracing new ways of doing business and learning of the huge potential.

“They realise that the market is not confined to the small domestic market but the whole worldwide market is within reach, through the creative and innovative use of technology.

“There is a hunger to embrace this new wave and the state is complementing and assisting Sarawak in reaching this potential.”

She went on to point out that the implementation of the Sarawak Digital Transformation programme by the state government through Sarawak Media Authority (SMA) and Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Bhd (SEDC) has seen the roll out of many necessary telecommunications infrastructures that helps enable connectivity throughout the state.

This effort for digital inclusivity and access in the state has allowed many rural communities to open up to e-commerce as well as improve the general quality of life through the delivery of services such as tele medicine, education and e-banking.

“The existence of a comprehensive network of telecommunication structures will be necessary and the key to enable the economy of Sarawak to make the leap and transform the businesses from reliance of traditional methods of delivery to that delivered via technology,” Kung explained.

“This fund differs from previous government initiatives in that instead of the government organising the training modules, they are now listening to the business communities and letting the various business associations propose various training courses which the individual business associations feel is of benefit to their members,” she said.

The programmes sponsored under the Bizfund involve training and certification programmes associated with the local tourism, food and beverage, logistics and freight, electrical services, construction, real estate, events, e-commerce and manufacturing industries.

The programmes aim to help participants obtain certifications, develop a variety of technical and essential skills relevant to their respective industries as well as offer programmes that help develop managerial soft skills such as leadership, communication, decision-making and problem solving.

According to SBF representatives, the more popular courses include certification courses like the Regional Specific Tourist Guide (RSTG) course and Occupational Work Health and Safety courses, as well as programmes that offered training in newer industries like drone operation and e-commerce.

Programmes cover wide bearth of topics

Since its commencement at the start of the year, Kung shared that various courses have begun being implemented and sponsored at various technical and training colleges across the state and will continue on until the end of the year.

Some of the more notable organisations and colleges that are providing Bizfund sponsored programmes are Centre of Technical Excellence (Centexs), Swinburne University, SATT college, Swinburne University of Technology and Zhejiang Yuexiu University, Methodist Pilley Institute, Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Bhd (SEDC), Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIBD), Selangor Freight Forwarders and Logistics Association and Sarawak Skills (PPKS).

As all SBF affiliates, employers and individuals are all free to register and participate in these courses, Kung encourages the public to take advantage of the Bizfund to upskill their companies and themselves.

“We urge readers who are interested to learn more about the numerous training programmes we have to reach out to the SBF Secretariat. They should take this opportunity to learn new and useful skill which he State government is generously sponsoring,” she said.

While there are currently no salient details on the continuation of Bizfund beyond 2023, Kung shared that, “it is the hope and wish of the SBF that the state government will continue to recognise that we are their partner in channeling the voices of the needs of the numerous associations under our Federation and continue this program beyond 2023.”

About Sarawak Business Federation

Launched in 2016, the SBF who is the state’s largest business umbrella federation is made up of 20 Sarawak-based business associations, trade guilds and chambers of commerce.

Its current president is Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Tun Abang Openg who conceptualised the federation as a means to better allow the local business communities in coordinating their collective voices and concerns to the Sarawak government.

The federation views itself as an apex organisation that represents the true views of Sarawak businesses and has been instrumental in organising conducive dialogues with various government agencies and departments throughout the years.

Some of their key members include The Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Dewan Usahawan Bumiputera Sarawak (DUBS), The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sarawak (ACCCIS), Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (SHEDA), Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (SOPPOA), Sarawak Electrical Association, Sarawak Entrepreneur Association, Sarawak ICT Association (SICTA), Sarawak e-Commerce Association, Sarawak Association of Marin Industries (SAMIN), Sarawak Digital Media e-Platform Association, Sarawak Manufacturers Association, SME Association of Sarawak, Startup Entrepreneur Association Sarawak (SEAS), Orang Ulu Chamber of Commerce and Association (OUCCI), Sarawak Business Events Association (SBE), Sarawak Tourism Association (STA), Sarawak Forwarding Agencies Association (SFAA), and Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA).

Breathing new life into the tourism sector

WITH global lock downs and travel restrictions, the tourism sector was one the hardest hit industries in Sarawak.

Number of tourists visiting the state shrank drastically overnight as international inbound flights to Malaysia and Sarawak dried up.

Even as domestic travel restrictions eased, there was no reprieve in the form of domestic tourism as domestic flights to the state were still too few and far between.

However, after a year of easing restrictions and better than expected results in 2022, it seems that the sector is finally poised for a comeback with the state government forecasting three million visitor arrivals for 2023, steadily catching up to pre-pandemic levels of 4.6 million visitors in 2019.

With an expected turnaround looming in the horizon, it seems clear that the local tourism sector which has experienced heavy retrenchment of their resources during the pandemic should begin building up capacity to accommodate the return of tourists to the state.

Bizfund fully sponsored courses like the Regional Specific Tourist Guide (RSTG) hosted by Saujana Academy of Hospitality & Tourism (SATT) college would fit the bill for this and here to share their experience as currently enrolled students are Saga Jabat and Ngu – two individuals with different career paths that ended up being coursemates through a shared developed interest in local tourism industry.

A current freelance tour guide, Saga shared that he used to work with a local tour company as a driver and travel assistant and that through his career he had begun developing a deep interest in the local tourism industry.

“Many of my previous colleagues and friends were licensed tour guides and I ended up developing a deep interest in the field because it was exciting to have the chance to help guide international and local tourists to all the beautiful places in Sarawak.

“And after a difficult period after the pandemic, I saw a chance to enroll in the course and decided to go for it because I had seen many people who have completed the course come out from it with more confidence and skill as a tour guide.

“And from it they have been able to increase their incomes as they are able to book more guiding offers from tour operators or independent tourists,” he shared.

Ngu on the other hand, developed an interest in the local industry in a very different way. Working as a grab car driver he didn’t expect knowledge in tourism to be required but with tourists beginning to return back to Sarawak after the pandemic he shared that he found himself picking up a fair up of tourists in town but struggled to answer many of the questions regarding the local history, culture and environment and wildlife.

Hearing about the course from a friend, he had decided to enroll so that he could be better equipped in guiding and advising the tourists he would meet on the job.

When asked about the contents of the course, Saga shared that the course covered history, culture, wildlife as well as developing interpersonal skills and technique in delivering a good tour.

“The course has allowed me to be more confident in guiding tourists as we are being equipped with the necessary knowledge and techniques that will make our tours engaging and easy to follow,” he said.

Similarly, Ngu said that he found the contents of the course to be interesting and useful as it covered also covered cultures of race and tribe and knowledge on how to organize an independent tour.

“With the knowledge I have learned from the course, I plan to share more about Sarawak to tourists and hopefully leave them wanting to visit again,” he commented.

While both Saga and Ngu have yet to finish the RSTG course, Saga believes that post certification, he will be able to continue freelancing as a guide and travel planner with more confidence.

Both recommends the course to those who are currently working in or interested in getting into the tourism sector and its related industries.

Prepping local industries for the future of drones

With the global commercial drone market size estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.30 per cent between 2022 and 2030, there is little wonder why many institutions and governments have been actively promoting its adoption in various key industries in our global economy.

In a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future, it was reported that the global drone market will reach an estimated valuation of USD 66.012 billion by the end of 2030.

While the usage of drones has long been a staple in the military industry, commercial adoption for drone application has been on the up and up as companies across the global are increasingly looking to adopt new Internet of Things (IoT) technologies that will optimise their operations, increase efficiency and improve customer experiences.

Under the SBF’s Bizfund, a few drone related programmes were sponsored and here to share their experience are Elton Wong Kee Sheng, a Master’s student in Computing at University Technology Sarawak and a researcher in drone applications and IoT, and Tiong Hua Kiong director of Hillsong Movie Production, a local photography and cinematography company.

Both Wong and Tiong attended Bizfund fully sponsored programmes and certification courses involving drone operation and aerial photography. Wong attend the Aerial Photography Essentials and also the UAS Pilot Training courses while Tiong attended just the UAS Pilot Training course.

The two shared that the courses they had attended had effectively taught them to on how to professionally operate, service and maintain drones. Additionally, the completion of the UAS Pilot Training course would endorse participants as a certified DJI drone operators.

According to Tiong, the idea of being a certified DJI drone operator was what initially drew him to the course as an endorsement from the world’s largest and leading consumer drone manufacturer, SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd (DJI), would provide him to global recognition of his qualifications and competency as a drone operator.

“I had heard about the course from the Sarawak Digital Media e-Platform Association of which I am a member and as I was already using DJI drones in my operations, I wanted to be officially certified as further proof of my professionalism to my clients,” he said.

Tiong went on to shared that after obtaining his certification, he has been able to command higher prices for his aerial photography and videography services as the certification has allowed him to prove his competency and qualifications as a drone operator.

“I have also been able to extend my services internationally as I now globally recognized as a certified DJI drone operator,” he added.

While Tiong had already been utilizing drones in his company’s aerial photography and cinematography services, he shared that the actual content of the course had still exceeded his expectations.

“The course was out of my expectations and it was really useful for me to get to learn about drones in a more in-depth manner as the course also focused on the practical aspect and not just theoretical.”

He shared that by the end of the course he had developed skills needed to operate drones within critical environments.

Meanwhile, Wong shared that he had registered and completed his two attended drone courses on recommendation of his research supervisor who felt that their respective contents would be beneficial to Wong’s research on drone applications and IoT.

He commented that the key things he took away from the courses were the procedure in drone preparations before flight, drone laws, drone maintenance and methods of proper drone flying and maneuvers.

He added that he found the trainers involved in the courses to be especially welcoming.

“The trainers were very kind and super helpful. I have been to many workshops and often enough the trainers are boring and tend to give out this vibe of not wanting to be there. But the trainers we had were the opposite. They were super friendly, patient, and also helpful not only during class but even after the workshop.”

When asked if they would recommend the courses, both Wong and Tiong agreed that the courses would be highly beneficial to not only photographers and videographers but to also a wide variety of industries within the state.

According to Wong, some of the local industries that could benefit greatly from increased drone application include the agriculture sector where drones can be used to monitor important agricultural parameters like crop health and soil moisture levels to better optimize crop yields, reduce costs and improve overall sustainability.

“The forestry sector could also use drones to monitor forest health, track wildlife populations and identify areas that are at risk of forest fires,” he said.

“The data from these could then be used to improve our current forest management practices and protect wildlife habitats.

“Our oil and gas (O&G) and mining industries that typically require the performance of dangerous and time-consuming inspections would also find drone application to be highly beneficial as it would reduce the need of those inspections to be performed manually by workers and in turn allow for an overall improvement towards safety, cost effectiveness and work efficiency.”

And finally, the local construction sector would also be able to utilise drones to perform survey of construction sites so that they can better create 3D maps and models while monitoring work progress.

“The applications of drones in Sarawak are numerous and diverse, and there are many industries that could benefit from increased drone application.

“By leveraging the power of drones, companies can improve safety, reduce costs, and improve sustainability in a variety of different sectors,” Wong concluded.

Increasing need for workplace safety and health professionals

The amendments introduced to our Occupational Safety and Health Act 2022 (OSHA) that was gazetted on March 16, 2022 have begun its enforcement during the first quarter of 2023.

Since the amendments, the need for safety and health professionals in almost all industries have increased greatly as the OSHA Act has been amended to apply to almost all sectors of the economy excluding, armed forces, those working onboard ships and domestic helpers.

This extension means that all affected employers will have a statutory duty to ensure the safety, health and welfare of their employees at work and comply with the requirements set forth by OSHA, which include the requirement to appoint an occupational safety and health (OSH) officer or coordinator at the workplace and to conduct risk assessment on safety and health risks in the workplace.

Other amendments include greater protection for employees and more regulations of machinery operation and installation.

Because of this demand, the SBF shared that one of its most popular sponsored programmes in the Bizfund are OSH accreditation programmes such as the “Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator (OSH Coordinator)” course hosted by Chemsain HRD Sdn Bhd (Chemsain).

Nur Mazreena Shaza Daud, a quantity surveyor working with local developer Hornbill Networks Consortium Sdn Bhd shared that she was a recent graduate of OSH coordinator course and has registered for it after suggestion from her employer.

“I registered myself because I wanted to gain knowledge in workplace safety, and found the trainers to be very supportive and knowledgeable.

“After completion of the course, I found that the course has helped me to effectively identify workplace hazards and harmful workloads and also informed me on the exact roles and responsibilities that a OSH coordinator has to uphold,” she shared.

She added that the course was fully sponsored by SBF’s Bizfund and would highly recommend the course to anyone interested as it would be useful to helping reduce workplace accidents, improving workplace safety conditions and also as a way to build up a potential new career opportunity.