Answer for Oral Question PL170

Reading Summary

📖 Reading time: 3 minutes
📊 Word count: 428 words

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG LAU HOW TECK

QUESTION:

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG LAU HOW TECK asked the MINISTER OF CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORTS to state what initiatives the Ministry has for developing a platform for marketing and selling youth products, including marketing guidance and access to international markets.

YANG BERHORMAT MINISTER OF CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORTS

ANSWER:

1. Thank you, Yang Berhormat Pehin Yang Di-Pertua, and thank you to Yang Berhormat Awang Lau How Teck for the question regarding what initiatives this Ministry has to develop a platform for marketing and selling youth products, including marketing guidance and access to international markets.

2. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports recognizes entrepreneurship as a strategic core in producing independent and competitive youth, as well as a driver of the country's socio-economic progress. The importance of entrepreneurship is also supported in the National Youth Policy and Strategy 2020-2035 through the Core Strategy of Education, Employability, and Decent Employment, which aims to create a more conducive environment for young entrepreneurs.

3. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports has also taken proactive steps in providing various conducive platforms, including physical spaces and entrepreneurship programs that can be used to market and sell local youth products, such as:

   a. Youth Development Centre (YDC) Carnival Program; b. Youth Development Centre (YDC) Pop Up Market Program; c. Youth Development Centre (YDC) Street Sahur Program; d. In:Stall @Youth Hub Program; e. Aidil Fitri Kuih Muih Sale; and f. Youth Entrepreneurship Incubator.

4. Approximately 350 young entrepreneurs have actively participated in the provided entrepreneurship platforms as an effort to strengthen youth involvement in the economic sector and expand the marketing opportunities for local products.

5. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports has also collaborated with strategic partners such as Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) and Shell LiveWIRE Brunei with the aim of exposing youth to developing business ideas, enhancing marketing skills, and expanding business networks, such as:

   a. Youth Business Pitch Program; and b. YDC Light’s On Program;

6. This Ministry is always committed to empowering youth, especially in the field of entrepreneurship. However, it is acknowledged that the focus of KKBS is more towards providing training and platforms for youth to start businesses (start-up) like the incubator programs I mentioned earlier. In this regard, concerning access to international markets, I am pleased to ask YB Minister of Finance and Economy II, responsible for the Brunei Economic Development Board, Ministry of Finance and Economy, as an agency playing a crucial role in opening international market access for local entrepreneurs to provide additional explanation on this later.

7. That concludes what can be stated, thank you.