Bumiputera SMEs should capitalise on funds to raise competitive level
SHAH ALAM: Bumiputera small and medium enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs need to keep tabs on and seize funds offered by the federal government, otherwise they will remain unused and defeat their purpose.
Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan said the lukewarm attitude showed by Bumiputera entrepreneurs towards such funds made it difficult for the government to develop the community SME sector effectively.
"Bumiputera entrepreneurs would always get the support of the government. In fact, last Friday, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak announced 11 new and additional incentives worth RM2.9 billion for Bumiputera entrepreneurs.
"They need to grab the additional funds offered ... if they're used up, additional funds will be allocated. But if Bumiputera entrepreneurs are treating the funds half-heartedly, they will be at the losing end," he told reporters after opening the Yayasan Amal Makruf office here, today.
Ahmad said the additional funds would be channelled through the agencies involved to be disbursed to eligible Bumiputera entrepreneurs.
Last Friday, the Prime Minister announced 11 new and additional incentives worth RM2.9 billion for Bumiputera SMEs to make them more competitive and the allocation would be channelled under Phase Two of the Bumiputera Facilitation Fund.
In another development, Ahmad, who is also Umno Supreme Council member, said unlike the opposition, Barisan Nasional would not back down from its manifesto as it had fulfilled 99% of the pledges made in the 13th General Election.
On the other hand, he said Pakatan Harapan had already made a U-turn shortly after promising to remove toll charges in the cities in its GE14 manifesto recently.
Instead its Chairman, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed recently said that they would take over the concessions, while the toll charges would remain until the contracts ended.
"This means nothing will happen and the toll charges will remain," Ahmad said.
As for the opposition-controlled Selangor, he said it was saddled with water supply woes, high dengue fever cases, as well as sprouting massage parlours and gambling dents. — Bernama