BY CLEMENT ERIK WONG --

KUCHING: An online platform to serve as a marketplace for industrial and agricultural products is being drawn up, said Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. He said the initiative would be carried out by the Small and Medium Enterprise Corporation (SME Corp) Malaysia in line with Sarawak's digital economy."I have suggested to my ministry to form our own online marketplace for agricultural products and also to prepare a team of our own riders."

This could create employment through entrepreneurships not only for the producers, but also for those who deliver the products to the market," he told a press conference here on Saturday. Wan Junaidi said he would discuss with the state government on working together to create a synergy between his ministry and the state authorities. As for the riders to be recruited, Wan Junaidi stated that they would complement the existing delivery marketplace including Foodanda and Grab. He added that Tekun Nasional was also providing financial loans for those interested in becoming delivery riders for multiple companies in the country.

"Over 2015 applications have been approved for a maximum loan of RM10,000. A loan of RM2,000 will also be provided for riders who already own a motorcycle for them to spend on additional fixtures to their machines," he said.