SERIAN – Women in Sarawak are being encouraged to take a more active role in entrepreneurship following the MARA Women Empowerment Programme and Malaysia Madani Nationalism Seminar 2025, which drew 250 participants to the Sarawak Government Administrative Centre Hall on Saturday.
The event was officiated by MARA Council Member, Ajar @ Siti Hajar Yasin, who also presented various forms of assistance to entrepreneurs and students in the division.
In her speech, she stressed that women are increasingly vital as drivers of local economies and community development, in line with the aspirations of Malaysia Madani.
She revealed that throughout 2025, MARA allocated RM33 million to support 1,156 Sarawak-based entrepreneurs through business financing, training initiatives, and matching grants.
A significant portion of this support was channelled into DANAnita, a financing scheme dedicated to women entrepreneurs.
For Sarawak, RM1.045 million was allocated, benefitting 29 women entrepreneurs as of July 2025. The scheme provides capital, capacity-building opportunities, and access to emerging markets.
A highlight of the programme was the presentation of Business Financing Offer Letters to five entrepreneurs and a MARA Grant Offer Letter (ADAPT) to one recipient.
In addition, 50 students received schooling assistance from Yayasan Pelajaran MARA (YPM), while 20 asnaf beneficiaries were supported with cash aid from Rural Capital Berhad (RCB), reflecting a holistic approach to community welfare.
The programme, organised by MARA’s Entrepreneur Development Division, is part of a nationwide outreach covering 53 parliamentary constituencies.
Its objectives include providing continuous education, exposure to modern technology, and practical digital marketing training to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
Participants were also given comprehensive information on business opportunities, government assistance, entrepreneurship training, and available grant schemes.
The initiative encouraged women, including home makers, to explore entrepreneurship as a sustainable source of income, while promoting MARA’s broader educational and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Present at the event were Sarawak MARA Director, A. Razu Abdul Razak, Academy of Nationhood Malaysia representative, Nur Jillierienie Japar, and Administrative Officer, Rashdan Hazemi, who represented the Serian Divisional Resident.
The MARA Women Empowerment Programme reflects the government’s wider commitment to strengthening women’s participation in the economy, ensuring that they are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and financial support to succeed in business.
