Government Has Allocated RM16.1 Billion Since 2006 For SMEs - Muhyiddin

Source from (Bernama): http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsgeneral.php?id=703539

Published: October 21, 2012

PAGOH, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- The government has allocated RM16.1 billion since 2006 to improve the lot of small and medium entrepreneurs (SME) nationwide, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

This effort is being continued in the 2013 Budget with more than RM1 billion set aside to further develop the group's business which includes RM200 million for SMEs involved in the Halal industry and a RM16 million annual Group Insurance Scheme, he noted.

A licensing and franchising loan scheme was also provided to modernise their businesses, he said speaking at the Entrepreneur and Education Carnival at the Pagoh Sports Complex, organised by MARA (Indigenous People's Trust Council), here Saturday.

"We should be proud and grateful for all the government's efforts in channeling assistance in various forms such as advisory, supply, equipment and marketing services, as well as capital funding," he said.

Another programme in support of the SMEs, in particular traditional grocery shops, was the Retail Shop Transformation Programme (TUKAR) aimed at increasing such retailers' competitiveness, he added.

The government has allocated RM80 million for the TUKAR scheme benefiting 522 shops, with an average increase in daily sales between 70 and 200 percent, he said.

Under the Entrepreneur Group Economic Fund (TEKUN) he said petty traders, particularly Bumiputera, were provided with quick and effective additional capital.

"Between 2008 and May 2012, TEKUN loaned RM1.35 billion to 135,000 traders nationwide, a 157 percent increase from RM523 million in 2003 to 2007,' he added.

According to Muhyiddin, Johor entrepreneurs were the second highest to benefit from TEKUN at 11.4 percent (RM154 million) out of the total amount for the period.

Speaking after the event, Muhyiddin who is also Education Minister, advised teachers to ensure students used the proper language and spelling in school as set by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

"Our students appear to be rather influenced by SMS and Twitter abbreviations. It's alright for casual communication but is a serious issue in formal education. They must focus on the use of standard language and spelling in school work," he emphasised.

Commenting on preparations to face the floods this year, he said all departments and agencies concerned had been instructed to be fully prepared for the natural disaster which was expected to occur earlier according to the Meteorological Department.

Meanwhile, Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal who was also present at the event, told reporters that MARA intended to create five main categories of entrepreneurs to face stiff competition in the future.

The five categories were, corporate, techno, retail, manufacturer and independent contractor entrepreneurs, he said.

He said they would be developed through the 'Groombig' programme; Mara Food Industry Complex in Gombak, Selangor for halal food producers; Mara Food Technology Incubator in Kepong and Product Manufacturers Park in Pedas, Negeri Sembilan.

-- BERNAMA