The Perak State Entrepreneur Secretariat (STeP) which started operating in October 2020 has successfully implemented more than 300 entrepreneurship programmes.
The programme has the cooperation of various agencies where more than 80,000 entrepreneurs of micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of various categories and industries have received benefits.
Perak Exco for Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, Dato’ Zainol Fadzi Paharudin said, STeP is now the main reference centre and focus for entrepreneurs and agencies in Perak.
“STeP is always involved in various programmes organised by the State Government and agencies in Perak, almost every day.
“However, STeP, which only has the status of a secretariat, has very limited functions with a workforce of only nine officers, including staff on loan from the Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP).
“This has had a huge impact on the implementation process, and delivery to more than 100,000 Perak entrepreneurs as well as more than 50 Federal and state Government agencies,” he said.
He said this while answering a question from the 14th Perak State Assembly here on Monday.
Dato’ Zainol Fadzi said it was important to make STeP an agency with its own jurisdiction.
“I also hope that the state government, especially the State Secretary and Menteri Besar can help to speed up the process.
“It is to enable the organisational structure of STeP to be upgraded with the addition of staff so that its functions can be expanded to the whole of Perak,” he added.
by Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
