KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC) has allocated RM1.6 million for its special tithe fund which will be distributed by agencies under the ministry to asnaf entrepreneurs affected by COVID-19 and floods.
Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said the distribution of aid collected from various agencies under MEDAC was aimed at easing the financial burden of the entrepreneurs as well as helping them to revive their businesses.
He said MEDAC had so far identified a total of 314 asnaf entrepreneurs affected by COVID-19 nationwide as a result of cooperation with various parties including the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP).
“For the first phase today, 25 asnaf from Kuala Lumpur were given a one-off RM2,000 aid each,“ he told reporters after attending the Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PERNAS) Tithe Handover Ceremony at the Bank Rakyat Twin Towers here today.
The allocation for flood-affected asnaf entrepreneurs would be channelled in the next phase, he said.
Meanwhile, PERNAS chief executive officer Mohd Hilaluddin Abd Shukor said the company had introduced the Asnafpreneur Programme which aimed at providing capital injections to asnaf under the Business in Transformation (BIT) Programme.
He said 50 asnaf, comprising women and youths aged 21 to 60, were guided through BIT’s physical training courses.
“PERNAS has allocated RM266,635 or RM5,000 for each participant through the distribution of Zakat Wakalah money as business start-up capital.
“For participants who choose the BIT programme business package exceeding RM5,000, they can apply for financing assistance of up to 90 per cent with a financing rate of 3.75 per cent and a financing size of up to RM25,000 from PERNAS,“ he said. - Bernama
