BANGKA BARAT -- To support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in marketing their products at the Ramadan Bazaar in Mentok, West Bangka, PT TIMAH (Persero) Tbk helped enliven the event by providing prizes for lucky visitors.
The Ramadan Bazaar, organized by the Office of Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Trade (DKUP) of West Bangka Regency, was held at the former PT TIMAH Golf Course field in Mentok. It featured various MSMEs offering a wide range of products, from food to beverages for iftar meals.
The presence of the Ramadan Bazaar not only serves as a center for purchasing takjil and iftar necessities for the community, but also provides an empowerment space for local MSME players to remain productive during the month of Ramadan.
West Bangka Regent Markus attended the bazaar to review the event and personally greet the MSME participants. He even walked from booth to booth purchasing a variety of foods for breaking the fast.
According to Markus, the Ramadan Bazaar is an important momentum to stimulate the local economy, especially for MSME players in Mentok.
“Our hope is that this year’s Ramadan Bazaar becomes a platform for West Bangka MSMEs to market their products. This means our MSMEs will continue to grow and thrive with facilitation from the local government in collaboration with PT Timah,” he said.
He also appreciated the enthusiasm of the community in taking advantage of the bazaar to meet their iftar needs.
Head of DKUP West Bangka, Miwani, explained that her office collaborated with PT TIMAH and several other companies to support MSMEs during Ramadan.
“PT TIMAH provided support in the form of venue facilities, basic food packages for MSME participants, and door prizes such as cooking oil and flour to attract people to shop at the Ramadan Bazaar,” she said.
She hopes that the collaboration between DKUP and PT TIMAH will continue in various MSME empowerment activities, not only during Ramadan but also at future regional economic events.
One of the MSME participants, Vina from the Dapok Kite MSME group, acknowledged that the presence of regional leaders and the door prize program from PT TIMAH had a direct impact on increasing the number of customers.
“Today is quite busy with buyers. Yesterday there were some, but it was rather quiet. With the door prize coupons, shoppers are more interested in buying. We are grateful to PT Timah for helping attract customers,” she said.
