Pilot project to smoothen business registration process to kick off Aug 1 in Sibu, Kanowit
SIBU (July 22): A pilot project to reform the process of starting up a business in Sarawak will be implemented effective this Aug 1, in the districts of Sibu and Kanowit, and will be running for six months.
According to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, the project was spearheaded by the state government through the Sarawak Transformation and Innovation Unit in the Sarawak Premier's Department; Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government; and Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC).
He said under the pilot project, all business registrations involving business name, trade licence and operating licence applications would be coordinated by one agency, namely the local authorities in Sibu and Kanowit, via one facilitation centre.
'Applicants will only need to fill in one composite form that captures all necessary information for business name registration, trade licence and operating licence applications.
'The pilot project targets a processing time from application to licence collection within 14 working days for low-risk businesses, while high-risk business applications such as sales of gas, entertainment centres, elderly or childcare centres and reflexology centres will be processed within 30 working days,' he said in a press conference here yesterday.
Dr Sim added that for applications requiring only the business name and trade licence, the licence could be collected within five working days, while licences for those requiring an operating licence could be collected within 14 working days.
'This means applicants only need to visit the counter a maximum of two times. Studies show that licence processing time for business registration may take up to 60 days or more.
'Through this project, the processing time will be reduced from over 60 working days to only 14 or up to 30 working days.'
Earlier, Dr Sim said business registration in Sarawak typically involves three main components depending on the type of business, namely the business name registration, trade licence and operating licence.
These are governed by Chapter 64 of the Business Names Ordinance 1958, Chapter 33 of the Businesses, Professions and Trades Licensing Ordinance 1958, Local Authorities Ordinance 1996 and other various regulations and bylaws.
'At present, business registration in Sarawak involves various government departments and agencies such as Inland Revenue Board, District Offices, Divisional Treasury Department and Local Authorities.
'For instance, in Sibu District, the process involves the Sibu District Office, Sibu Divisional Treasury Department, and two local authorities namely the Sibu Municipal Council and Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC).
'On top of the agencies that I have mentioned, there is still approval from agencies that may be required, such as from the Fire and Rescue Department, Land and Survey Department and the Health Department.
'Due to this requirement, applicants are required to deal with multiple agencies at various locations, making the process inefficient and time-consuming. In addition, applicants are required to fill in multiple forms, depending on the business type and licenses applied for,' he said.
According to the Deputy Premier, this effort was crucial to stimulate business activities in Sarawak and position the region as a more investor-friendly destination.
'Therefore, Sarawak must act swiftly to seize this opportunity by accelerating and streamlining the investment and business processes. This pilot project is a strategic step in that direction.
'We aim to ensure Sarawak remains competitive as an investment destination that offers administrative efficiency, process certainty, and strong governmental support to the business community.
'I urge all agencies involved to give their full commitment and support to ensure the success of this pilot project, which will serve as the foundation for statewide implementation across Sarawak,' he said.
He added that under the Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030, the Sarawak government had been actively driving digitalisation initiatives for business registration to boost public confidence in transacting with the government via online platforms.
'Existing systems such as e-R&DO and e-LA2 will also be upgraded in the near term to support this digital initiative,' he said.
Also present were Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Sarawak Datuk Michael Tiang, Deputy State Secretary Datu Hii Chang Kee, the ministry's permanent secretary Datu Elizabeth Loh and SRDC chairman Sempurai Petrus Ngelai. business registration Dr Sim Kui Hian lead start-up businesses
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
20 hours ago
- The Sun
Sejahtera MADANI raises RM120 million to end poverty in Malaysia
PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysia MADANI People's Wellbeing Initiative (Sejahtera MADANI), launched today to end poverty, has successfully raised nearly RM120 million, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced. Speaking at the launch, Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the initiative had received overwhelming support from the private sector, surpassing its initial fundraising target of RM50 million. 'I said if Sejahtera MADANI could raise RM50 million, that would already be a success, and the government could top it up a bit, but today the response has not just doubled, it's gone far beyond that. 'The initiative has now raised nearly RM120 million. This is a meaningful project, and we want to drive this nation to become strong and great,' he said. Present at the event were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Minister of Housing and Local Government Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. Anwar also reiterated his MADANI Government's commitment to ending hardcore poverty in Malaysia through coordinated efforts and strategic approaches. 'My target, together with the Cabinet, is to end hardcore poverty. Based on data from 2023 to 2024, we've made significant progress. Even though new cases may emerge, the overall numbers are far lower than before,' he said. The Prime Minister also praised the commitment of all stakeholders, particularly the private sector and Islamic religious councils, for working alongside the government to tackle one of the country's most persistent issues. Sejahtera MADANI is a national initiative aimed at assisting poor and hardcore poor households registered under the National Poverty Database or the eKasih system. Coordinated by the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister's Department (ICU JPM), the initiative consolidates various aid interventions across ministries, agencies, and private entities for a focused and integrated poverty eradication strategy. In a statement issued at the launch, ICU JPM described Sejahtera MADANI as being anchored on a 'whole-of-nation approach,' enhanced with high-impact and sustainable programs targeting both heads of households and household members under the eKasih system. The initiative focuses on four key areas, namely income generation, education, housing, and social welfare. The government is targeting RM100 million in corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions for Sejahtera MADANI, all of which will be channelled to the People's Wellbeing Fund managed by ICU JPM. 'All CSR contributions under this initiative qualify for income tax deductions under Subsection 44(6) of the Income Tax Act 1967,' the statement read. As of July 15, a total of 306,403 heads of households are registered in the eKasih database nationwide, comprising 1,017 classified as hardcore poor and 305,386 as poor. - Bernama
Barnama
21 hours ago
- Barnama
Sejahtera MADANI Initiative Launched, Nearly RM120 Million Raised To End Poverty
GENERAL PUTRAJAYA, July 24 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia MADANI People's Wellbeing Initiative (Sejahtera MADANI), launched today to end poverty, has successfully raised nearly RM120 million, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced. Speaking at the launch, Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the initiative had received overwhelming support from the private sector, surpassing its initial fundraising target of RM50 million. 'I said if Sejahtera MADANI could raise RM50 million, that would already be a success, and the government could top it up a bit, but today the response has not just doubled, it's gone far beyond that. 'The initiative has now raised nearly RM120 million. This is a meaningful project, and we want to drive this nation to become strong and great,' he said. Present at the event were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Minister of Housing and Local Government Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. Anwar also reiterated his MADANI Government's commitment to ending hardcore poverty in Malaysia through coordinated efforts and strategic approaches. 'My target, together with the Cabinet, is to end hardcore poverty. Based on data from 2023 to 2024, we've made significant progress. Even though new cases may emerge, the overall numbers are far lower than before,' he said. The Prime Minister also praised the commitment of all stakeholders, particularly the private sector and Islamic religious councils, for working alongside the government to tackle one of the country's most persistent issues. Sejahtera MADANI is a national initiative aimed at assisting poor and hardcore poor households registered under the National Poverty Database or the eKasih system.
Daily Express
a day ago
- Daily Express
Employers must comply with September 15 holiday: Minister
Published on: Thursday, July 24, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 24, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Human Resources Minister Steven Sim speaks to reporters after officiating the Penang Human Resources Ministry Building at Weld Quay in George Town March 14, 2025. — Bernama pic PUTRAJAYA: Employers must comply with the declaration of Sept 15 as an additional public holiday in conjunction with this year's Malaysia Day celebration, said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong. He said employers could observe the additional public holiday and pay the regular salary, or instruct their employees to work and pay according to the public holiday rates. 'Employers can also opt to give a replacement holiday on another day if their employees are required to work on that public holiday. 'To ensure the implementation of the additional public holiday is fair and organised, the Department of Labour (JTK) is prepared to provide advisory services as well as answer any queries from employers and employees regarding the implementation of this additional public holiday,' he said in a statement, Wednesday. Sim said the Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma) welcomes Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's announcement that Sept 15 will be designated as an additional public holiday in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebration. 'This announcement is good news for workers in the public and private sectors nationwide. 'This additional holiday allows all Malaysians to celebrate unity, strengthen the spirit of nationalism and appreciate the uniqueness of the formation of Malaysia as a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural country,' he said. Sim also called on Malaysians to use the long holiday for recreation, thus promoting well-being among workers and stimulating economic activities, which in turn will have a positive impact on the local economy. The implementation of the additional holiday is subject to provisions under Section 60D(1) of the Employment Act 1955 (Act 265) for Peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Labuan; the Sabah Labour Ordinance (Chapter 67), the Sarawak Labour Ordinance (Chapter 76) and the Holidays Act 1951 (Act 369) as the basis for the announcement of the official additional holiday by the Government. Employers or employees requiring further information can contact the JTKSM via its hotline at 03-8886 5192/5937, by email at [email protected], or at any nearby JTK offices. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
