KUCHING: Betong MP Datuk Dr Richard Rapu and Selangau MP Edwin Banta have been appointed as ‘Friends of Ministry’ (FOM) by the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP).
The move is aimed at strengthening Parliament’s role in expanding the outreach of entrepreneurship policies and development programmes.
The official appointment letters were presented by Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Ewon Benedick on Monday (Jul 28) at the Parliament building.
Dr Richard said the appointment opens the door for strategic collaboration between the ministry and elected representatives to ensure that government initiatives truly reach grassroots communities, particularly entrepreneurs and cooperatives.
“Our role as ‘Friends of Ministry’ is to serve as a bridge between the ministry and the people. We will work to ensure that KUSKOP’s policies and programmes are effectively translated at the community level,” he said in a Facebook post.
He said the appointment is not merely symbolic but comes with a significant responsibility to strengthen synergy between policymakers and those on the ground.
“This is an opportunity for us to channel the voices of the people directly to the ministry, and at the same time, bring government policies closer and more effectively to the rakyat,” he added.
The FOM initiative is seen as a new approach by KUSKOP to expand cross-sector collaboration, including with members of parliament, in efforts to strengthen the national entrepreneurship ecosystem and empower the cooperative movement as a key driver of the local economy.
