KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Sabah (MINDET) will collaborate with the Institut Keusahawanan Negara (INSKEN) to implement two Masterclass programmes and three Bangkit programmes in Sabah throughout 2026.

Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship, Ewon Benedick, said the programmes, which will be held in Kota Kinabalu and Kundasang, will cover various sectors including agriculture, the creative industry, and eco-tourism.

He also welcomed INSKEN’s strategic collaboration with other Sabah state agencies, including the Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR).

“I appreciate the initiatives implemented by INSKEN in developing entrepreneurs in Sabah over the years.

“For the 2025 programmes under INSKEN’s initiatives in Sabah, 72 per cent of entrepreneurs recorded at least a 25 per cent increase in sales, created 128 new job opportunities, generated a 6.1 times return on programme funding, and achieved an average profit margin increase of 44 per cent.

Additionally, through INSKEN’s Mini Coaching programme, 95 per cent of entrepreneurs successfully improved their products or services based on measured performance indicators,” he said.

He was speaking after receiving a courtesy visit from an INSKEN delegation led by its Chief Executive Officer, Viviantie Sarjuni.
Ewon also congratulated Viviantie on receiving the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship Award at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos recently.

Meanwhile, Viviantie said the Look East Policy introduced by Ewon during his tenure at the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP) three years ago had brought significant changes to entrepreneurial development, including within INSKEN.

“I am proud that through the Look East Policy, we have gained international recognition. We did not apply for the award; instead, they assessed the work carried out, including INSKEN’s efforts, before deciding to confer the award.

“We are the first Malaysians to receive this award. Datuk Ewon has left many legacies at KUSKOP, and as a Sabahan, I am very proud. I am also pleased that many programmes will be implemented jointly with MINDET moving forward.

“In addition to the five programmes planned with MINDET this year, we are also planning more entrepreneurship programmes across Sabah, taking into account the state’s vast geographical area to ensure implementation covers all districts,” she said.

On the overall achievements of the INSKEN Sabah 2025 Coaching Programme, Viviantie said it recorded RM3.9 million in sales growth generated through four cohorts of the INSKEN Bumiputera Business Coaching (IBBC) programme.

Overall, 72 per cent of entrepreneurs who participated in the 2025 coaching programme in Sabah recorded encouraging improvements in business performance.

She also noted that five IBBC participants in Sabah were listed among the top performers of the INSKEN Sabah 2025 Coaching Programme.

They are Mohd Hafiz Abdullah, operator of Sorrow Beach Ecotourism in Tanjung Bangau, Kudat, who achieved a 447 per cent increase in sales; Juhilin Tutun from Beaufort with a 72 per cent increase; Dul Alis, a café and restaurant operator who recorded a 205 per cent increase; Nurasyikin Norbin from Kota Belud, who achieved a 179 per cent increase through her food stall business; and Izhan Nasriq Imran from Penampang, who produces Dimna Soda and recorded a 361 per cent increase in sales.