VARIOUS INTIATIVES IMPLEMENTED FOR INDIAN COMMUNITY THIS YEAR

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperatives  (KUSKOP), through initiatives spearheaded by its Deputy Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, has implemented seven initiatives this year to enhance the standard of living and economy of the Indian community in the country.

In an e-poster shared on the ministry’s social media, the initiatives include the Indian Community Entrepreneur Development Scheme (SPUMI) and SPUMI Goes Big, implemented under the Business Group Economic Fund (TEKUN) involving an allocation of RM60 million.

As of  Dec 19,  2,355 Indian entrepreneurs have benefited from these initiatives, with total disbursements amounting to RM57,468.

bootstrap slideshow

Additionally,  3,285 Indian women entrepreneurs have received funding amounting to RM30.34 million through the Prosperity, Empowerment and A New Normal (PENN) programme under Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) as of Dec 13.

To further support the Indian business community, Bank Rakyat introduced the Bank Rakyat Indian Entrepreneur Financing-i (BRIEF-i) programme, providing up to RM50,000 in financing with 451 Indian entrepreneurs having benefitted from it as of Dec 19 involving funding of RM40.39 million.

Last Sept 27, KUSKOP through SME Corp, launched the Business Accelerator Programme for small-sized Indian-owned companies (I-BAP) involving an allocation of RM6 million and up to Nov 25, funding of RM1.5 million has been approved to 20 companies.

bootstrap slideshow

According to the ministry, SME Corp is evaluating another 61 companies for the programme.

Meanwhile, on Sept 28, KUSKOP collaborated with agencies such as Tekun, AIM, SME Corp and INSKEN in implementing the Empowering Indian Entrepreneur (EIP 2024) programme to empower Indian community entrepreneurs by improving their skills through entrepreneurship courses, artificial intelligence (AI), finance and social media.

  Ramanan also implemented the MADANI Vanakam programme, a casual chat programme held with the residents of Kuala Kubu Bharu, Sungai Bakap and Indian entrepreneurs, in addition to providing food baskets to the B40 families of the Indian community from April to last September.

KUSKOP, through the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM), also held an Indian Community Cooperative Conference (PKKI) on Oct 13, which involved the participation of 200 cooperatives, to increase the knowledge of Indian community cooperators regarding the Malaysian Cooperative Policy 2023.

The MADANI government's concern for the Indian community can also be seen when Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is National TVET Council chairman, sent 200 Indian students to attend TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) courses in China.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim insisted that all assistance for the poor will be distributed regardless of race and that all narratives related to racial profiling in the issue of aid and efforts to eradicate hardcore poverty in the country should be stopped immediately.

Anwar, who is also the Minister of Finance, reportedly said this in response to claims by some parties that the additional allocation of RM130 million for the Indian community was insufficient.

-- BERNAMA