KAPIT — Rural entrepreneurs must embrace digital strategies to expand beyond local markets, Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi urged at Thursday’s closing of the Kapit Entrepreneur Carnival 2025. The 10-day event generated RM178,104.30 in sales for 26 vendors, demonstrating the commercial potential of Kapit’s products when supported by effective promotion platforms.
“Don’t settle as village champions,” declared Nanta Linggi, who is also Kapit MP. “Your high-quality products deserve wider audiences.” He emphasized leveraging improved road connectivity to Sibu – reducing logistics costs by 30% since 2023 – alongside digital tools like TikTok and e-commerce portals. The carnival served as a critical testing ground for customer feedback and wholesale networking, with several vendors securing distribution deals with Kuching-based retailers.
The Minister outlined a three-pronged approach for market expansion:
- Digital Adoption: Training on social media algorithms and cross-border e-commerce
- Infrastructure Utilization: Capitalizing on the Kapit-Sibu highway for distribution
- Public-Private Synergy: Collaborations with MATRADE and SME Corp for export readiness
Nanta Linggi revealed plans for Kapit’s first dedicated e-commerce hub by Q4 2025, providing co-working spaces and live-streaming studios. This follows Sarawak’s Rural Digitalisation Framework which has equipped 72% of Kapit businesses with high-speed internet. “The world moves digitally,” he stressed. “Our entrepreneurs must match this momentum to compete globally.”
District Officer Cerisologo Sabut and Sarawak Entrepreneurship Development representatives attended, noting 15 carnival participants have registered for MATRADE’s upcoming international virtual trade mission.