OVER 8,500 ENTREPRENEURS TRAINED UNDER 'TUBE' PROGRAMME SINCE 2014 - RAMANAN

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- A total of 8,543 entrepreneurs have received training and guidance under the Tunas Usahawan Belia Bumiputera (TUBE) programme since its inception in 2014 until Oct 31 this year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said out of this total, 8,312 participants successfully registered businesses and received business grants amounting to RM125.8 million.

"In terms of programme effectiveness, the TUBE programme has created 15,068 job opportunities and recorded cumulative sales of RM181.5 million," he said during the question-and-answer session today.

He was responding to a question from Datuk Muslimin Yahaya (PN-Sungai Besar), who asked about the number of entrepreneurs trained and developed under the TUBE programme by SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) to date and the total funding or grants disbursed to them.

The TUBE programme aims to encourage entrepreneurship among Bumiputera youths aged 18 to 30 by providing capacity-building support in the form of training, start-up grants ranging from RM10,000 to RM15,000 depending on the type of business, as well as mentorship and business advisory services.

Ramanan said SME Corp has planned to implement the TUBE programme in 2025 to encourage the younger generation to venture into business, with a funding allocation of RM20 million.

Replying to a supplementary question from Manndzri Nasib (BN-Tenggara) regarding plans for entrepreneurs aged 31 and above, he said various other programmes are available, including the Bumiputera Enterprise Enhancement Programme (BEEP) 2.0, Business Accelerator Programme 3.0, and the Business Accelerator Programme for Indian Small Business.

"We are also offering export enhancement programmes for SMEs, such as the Go Global initiative to encourage Bumiputera exports. Programmes aimed at strengthening strategic industries and supporting high-performing, prestigious companies are also available.

"The Micro-Entrepreneur Business Development Programme is provided, as well as the inclusive innovation programme i-SEE," he added.

Responding to a supplementary question from Muslimin on efforts to enhance the marketing skills of rural e-commerce entrepreneurs in an increasingly competitive market, Ramanan said the ministry has introduced business offerings segmented into five zones: North, East, South, Central, Sabah and Federal Territory of Labuan, and Sarawak, involving 500 participants.

"From these programmes, we have invited 350 loans from alumni groups and provided assistance amounting to RM100,000 to them with an interest rate of two per cent," he said.

-- BERNAMA