NIBONG TEBAL: The unity government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership has provided an additional allocation of RM130 million for the overall wellbeing of the Indian community within a period of four months.
Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk R. Ramanan said the allocation comprised the recently launched RM50 million Bank Rakyat Indian Entrepreneur Financing-i (BRIEF-i) programme, the RM30 million allocation under the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun Nasional).
“Apart from the two initiatives, the government had also allocated a RM50 million grant under Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) to empower Indian women. Since the start of SPUMI from 2008 to 2024, there has been no additional allocation.
“However, today the government allocated RM60 million (overall) for SPUMI. In the past, the allocation for Indian women entrepreneurs was only RM20 million but today the Madani government gave RM70 million, which is an addition of RM50 million,” he told reporters after attending the ‘Majlis Perjumpaan Bersama Komuniti Usahawan India’ here last night.
Ramanan said only the Unity Government and Anwar are concerned to offer a bigger allocation to the Indian community in Malaysia during a short period of time compared with the governments of the past.
The unity government has and will continue to introduce numerous initiatives to help all Malaysians, including the Indian community.
“We have introduced various assistance to help them. Therefore I urge the Indian community to seize the opportunities and benefits through the allocations offered to the community, so that nobody will be left behind in the country’s progress and development,” he said.
He said 25,559 Indian entrepreneurs throughout the country have benefitted under the SPUMI scheme through an allocation of RM45.7 million since 2008 to May 2024, including 1,698 Indian entrepreneurs in Penang who benefitted from an allocation of RM31.5 million.
Speaking of the SPUMI Goes Big scheme, Ramanan said 106 applications had been received since it was launched on April 3, and 67 applications worth RM2.78 has been approved while another 30 are being processed.
Ramanan added that the Unity Government was also initiating major changes for the Indian community by continuously carrying out initiatives that can uplift the community as well as implement programmes for the minority.
Earlier, Ramanan visited the MADANI Cooperative and Entrepreneurs Sale at Kampung Lima Kongsi, Sungai Bakap which received overwhelming support from the locals. – BERNAMA
