KUALA LUMPUR: TEKUN Nasional, through the Indian Community Entrepreneur Development Financing Scheme (SPUMI), has provided financing amounting to RM149.9 million to 7,166 Indian entrepreneurs between 2019 and September 2024.
The Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry (KUSKOP) said it has, through its agencies, launched several programmes this year to assist entrepreneurs from the Indian community.
Among them is the RM50 million Prosperity, Empowerment and A New Normal for Indian Women (PENN) programme under Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), whereby 2,992 Sahabat AIM entrepreneurs have received approvals for financing worth RM27.78 million up to October, it said in a written reply posted on the Dewan Negara website yesterday.
Meanwhile, through the RM50 million Bank Rakyat Indian Entrepreneur Financing-i (BRIEF-i) programme, KUSKOP has provided financing amounting to RM34.91 million to 405 entrepreneurs in the same period.
“(In addition), 20 companies have received approvals for grants worth RM1.5 million under SME Corporation’s RM6 million Business Accelerator Programme for Indian Small Business (I-BAP) up to October.
“(Another programme is) TEKUN Nasional’s RM30 million SPUMI Goes Big programme, which has benefitted 271 entrepreneurs with approved financing valued at RM11.62 million during that period,” the ministry said.
KUSKOP was answering a question from Datuk A. Kesavadas Nair, who wanted to have the details on how much has been channeled to Indians from the National Entrepreneurial Group Fund (TEKUN) in the period of 2019 to 2023.
The ministry also noted that it has collaborated with various parties, including the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit, Prime Minister’s Department, Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MAICCI) as well as non-governmental organisations to disseminate information on and enhance access to the entrepreneurship programmes and initiatives offered to entrepreneurs from the Indian community.
