KUCHING: Sarawakians interested to work as delivery riders are encouraged to apply for the special motorcycle loan worth RM10,000.
Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the ministry through Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (Tekun) Nasional has established a loan up to a maximum of RM10,000 for the purchase of a motorcycle equipped with delivery boxes and bags.
“The application can be approved in only three working days, so those interested can contact the nearest Tekun office to apply,” he said.
He said this when met by the media after the presentation of emergency medical and education assistance to the Pantai Damai constituency held at the Santubong Parliament Service Centre in Satok on Saturday.
He mentioned that online businesses are thriving at present through online platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and so on. Thus, the demand for delivery services also grows with it.
“The demand for delivery services rose up to 300 percent and when this happens, many youths are showing interest in becoming riders but they need to have a motorcycle at first and if they don’t, they have to apply for a loan from the bank in order to buy one.
“That is why we have allocated an initial of RM200 million for the purpose of motorcycle loans nationwide. We are now left with RM50 million but the government has chipped in an additional allocation of RM400 million for the same purpose,” he elaborated.
The loan assistance was done in two phases with the first one commencing from May 1 to Dec 31 this year, while the second phase will take place from January to June next year.
Wan Junaidi further said that borrowers can make the repayment in stages as the loan is implemented at zero interest rate.
Apart from that, he said members of the public can also apply for the loan assistance for other businesses such as spa, salon and so on.
In another development, Wan Junaidi also said the ministry is currently drawing up an online platform to serve as a marketplace for industrial and agro products.
He said the marketplace will abolish the middleman system so that the people nationwide especially those with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can afford the cost to market their products.
When asked when it can be materialised, he was hopeful that it can be done within this year.
