Ketengah’s ‘Sentuhan Kasih Desa’ programme chalks up over RM400,000 in sales

DUNGUN - The three-day "Sentuhan Kasih Desa” programme in the Central Terengganu Development Authority (Ketengah) region attracted 18,000 visitors and recorded RM414,313.80 worth of sales.

Ketengah general manager Datuk Tengku Ahmad Nadzri Tengku Musa said the amount comprised the Agro Madani and Rahmah sales and various products from Ketengah entrepreneurs.

He said the programme achieved its goal of strengthening the relationship between leaders and the community, generating the economy of entrepreneurs and reducing the cost of living for the people.

"The presence of the country’s top leadership at the programme further enhanced Ketengah’s commitment to developing the rural communities in the region so that they are not left behind.

"The total number of visitors, which exceeded our target, shows that they did not want to miss the opportunity to meet the country’s top leadership,” he said after the closing ceremony of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry’s "Sentuhan Kasih Desa” programme in Bandar Al-Muktafi Billah Shah here today.

Meanwhile, 30-year-old Ketengah entrepreneur Norlasmira Yusof, of Kampung Durian Mentangau, said the programme provided an economic boost for small entrepreneurs like her.

She said her ‘rempeyek’ and ‘kuih lempoyang’ sold like hotcakes among the visitors to the programme.

"On normal days, I could only sell about 20 to 30 trays of the products because there aren’t many villagers... it’s usually the same customers.

"But when Ketengah showcases carnivals or programmes like this, I can achieve sales exceeding 100 trays a day,” she said at the programme’s closing ceremony today.

Norlasmira also thanked Ketengah for always allowing small entrepreneurs to market and promote their products elsewhere, adding that she also received help with equipment and a small workshop six months ago to further develop her business.

Another Ketengah entrepreneur, Abdullah Amin Abdullah who runs a Sarawak "kek lapis” business, hoped that the programme would be continued and expanded to the district level to benefit more entrepreneurs and locals.

He said that besides increasing sales, the programme also helped entrepreneurs expand their business network to other states.

"Such programmes provide entrepreneurs with the opportunity to build business networks elsewhere because the visitors who turned up today were from different backgrounds, including businessmen.

"Throughout the 10 years I’ve been doing business, I always participated in such programmes and managed to appoint many sales agents nationwide,” he said. - BERNAMA