SUBANG JAYA, Nov 22 — Nearly 100,000 entrepreneurs are registered with Platform Selangor (PLATS) to grow their business and expand their market reach, said Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
He said various aid schemes like the Selangor Madani Entrepreneur Fund, Hijrah Selangor and AgroPLATS Biaya Plus-i will continue to empower entrepreneurs with funding access.
He brought up how PLATS, which was born during the Covid-19 as an immediate aid scheme, has grown rapidly to become among the state’s most successful programmes.
“PLATS began during Ramadan when we didn’t have physical spaces due to the MCO (movement control order). We implemented online sales and from there it just grew.
“Today, PLATS not only promotes and lists participants, but is a large community of nearly 100,000 traders and micro entrepreneurs across Selangor, compared with only around 500 when it started,” Amirudin said when speaking at the Selangor Hawkers and Petty Traders Day at The Roundabout in Putra Heights here last night.
He added that the state government realised funding was not the only success factor for small traders, but that knowledge, business networks, and technology usage are the real catalysts to booming sales and productivity.
“Digital transformation isn’t just a question of device usage; it’s about how technology can improve sales, production and service quality.
“That’s the state government’s big picture, and next year, we won’t forget traders in the Speed Selangor policy implementation,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Subang Jaya Mayor Dato’ Amirul Azizan Abd Rahim said the event at the marketplace aims to show appreciation for hawkers and petty traders’ important contributions to the state’s economy.
“This celebration recognises hawkers and petty traders’ roles in building an inclusive economy. It also strengthens the relationship between the state government, local authorities, and the trader community.”
He added that the programme promotes aid, funding and entrepreneurship training schemes, and encourages traders to adopt innovation and technology in their businesses.
“We want hawkers and petty traders to not only be resilient, but continue being competitive and growing with economic changes,” Amirul said.
