SPH Chinese Media Group, business groups help lift heartland businesses
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Hawkers and neighbourhood enterprises will get a helping hand to boost their businesses, thanks to a collaboration between the Singapore Press Holdings' Chinese Media Group (CMG) and two business associations.
The Federation of Merchants' Associations, Singapore (FMAS), its subsidiary Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore (HECS) and the Chinese Media Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote heartland businesses and help them digitalise.
Announced - and starting - yesterday, the collaboration of the three parties will see them run projects until the end of the year.
To drive footfall to the heartland, CMG will promote heartland tours curated by HECS on its media platforms, including Lianhe Zaobao, Lianhe Wanbao and Shin Min Daily News, as well as on Zaobao.sg and the Chinese radio stations, UFM100.3 and 96.3 Hao FM.
The three organisations will also organise heartland enterprise seminars and workshops to promote awareness about and adoption of digitalisation among Housing Board shop owners and hawkers. "These seminars will provide information on best practices and available assistance schemes to help heartland businesses remain competitive," said the statement.
Meanwhile, CMG will also organise seminars and awards that highlight success stories of enterprises and hawkers who have digitalised their businesses.
FMAS president Yeo Hiang Meng said he hoped the collaboration will allow the association to reach out to businesses owners and "look at various issues that affect their survivability, such as business succession and transformation of (their) business model".
"We also hope this will allow CMG's vast readership to have a better understanding of our rich multifaceted community and food culture," he added.
Noting that neighbourhood merchants are "an integral part of Singaporeans' daily lives and are critical contributors to the economy", CMG head Lee Huay Leng said: "We look forward to leveraging our network to assist the heartland enterprises and hawkers to keep their businesses and neighbourhoods vibrant and thriving."
