Wednesday, October 10, 2012

MITI Mulls Mentoring Scheme For SMEs

Source from (Bernama): http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsbusiness.php?id=700731

Published: October 10, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) is studying the possibility of introducing a mentoring scheme for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to boost their capabilities in their respective sectors.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, said this scheme would give the SMEs the opportunity to receive guidance from successful local companies.

"I hope this special scheme will help boost the skills and effectiveness of their businesses," he told reporters after the presentation of prizes to the winners of SME-University Internship 2012 Championship here Tuesday.

Mustapa said mentors like Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin, managing director of Mydin Holdings Bhd and Datuk Maznah Abd Hamid, founder of Securiforce Group of Companies, managed to build up their companies without the assistance of the government.

The mentoring scheme would help overcome the weaknesses faced by the SMEs like weak financial management, poor marketing and incomplete business plan, he said.

Earlier, in his speech, Mustapa said to encourage more graduates to become entrepreneurs, the government has offered various incentives for them to get involved in information and communication technology and a special fund to be managed by SME Bank.

"Thus, the students must grab the opportunities to improve their soft skills and themselves," he said.

He said competition like SME-University Internship Programme would promote the entrepreneurial concept among students through sharing of information and experience among them and SMEs.

-- BERNAMA 

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