THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE BUSINESS START-UP EXPO 2019

SPEECH BY YAB CHOW KON YEOW, CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG

AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF

THE BUSINESS START-UP EXPO 2019

 

28 OCTOBER 2019

PRANGIN MALL

Good Morning.

First and foremost, I would like to thank Persatuan Kebajikan dan Kebudayaan Kaum India Batu Maung for inviting me here today and I would also like to congratulate them for successfully organising the Business Start-Up Expo 2019. I am indeed pleased to be present here today and even more so to see all of you who are present here today for the interest and passion on the business start-up of your very own ideas, inventions and innovations.

The objective of the Business Start-Up Expo 2019 is to raise public awareness and to welcome even more people to involve themselves in business. The various educational talks and activities held are hoped to instil the interest and knowledge of business in everyone who are involved in this Expo while it provides assistance and support for business start-ups. It strives to build a vibrant start-up landscape where innovative start-ups can flourish and grow in a sustainable manner.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Launching a start-up comes with its fair share of challenges and struggles. The common start-up challenges faced are financial constraints, lack of planning, poor management, competition and so forth. Nevertheless, with the assistance of programmes and initiatives by the national government, state government and other relevant parties, these challenges may be swiftly overcome. However, the major problem is, there is a lack of public awareness pertaining this matter and it may be the main cause that is hindering the development of our local entrepreneurs.

Hence, this signifies the importance of the educational talks and activities that are carried out in events suchlike the Business Start-Up Expo 2019 today to keep the public abreast with the SME Development Framework or any programmes and initiatives that can aid their business start-up and move towards a competitiveness led economy.

Speaking of the Penang State Government on this matter, we understand the challenges faced by our local entrepreneurs as were mentioned as well as the need to assist them in their respective business development for the development of the state as a whole. As such, Penang State Government and investPenang had initiated the Small and Medium Enterprises Market Advisory Resource and Training (S.M.A.R.T.) Centre to provide market intelligence, business advisory, information & resources, and training services to the local small and medium companies (SMEs) in Penang.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my fervent hope that with such programmes, initiatives and a closer collaboration between the government and private sector we are able to bloom our local entrepreneurs to successful business leaders. I also hope that NGOs suchlike Persatuan Kebajikan dan Kebudayaan Kaum India Batu Maung will continue their beneficent efforts in assisting the government in the development of our local entrepreneurs as well as raising public awareness and welcoming even more people in the business industry.

I would also like to take this opportunity to commend the efforts of the organizers to place extra emphasis and to provide a platform for the single mothers and the B40 group during this Expo. In line with the Penang2030 vision, the Penang State Government advocates the empowerment of the people especially for the B40 group and women, particularly the single mothers in this case.

Lastly, I once again thank and congratulate Persatuan Kebajikan dan Kebudayaan Kaum India Batu Maung for organising the Business Start-Up Expo 2019. I hope that more events such as these will be held in Penang to further benefit our local entrepreneurs.

Thank you.