PUTRAJAYA: Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (Pernas) is launching a new programme that gives priority to retirees, youths and women next month.
Its director Datuk Abu Bakar As-Sidek Mohd Sidek said this was in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s call for efforts be made to improve the living standards of the people affected by the current sluggish global economy.
“This programme will be introduced to the targeted groups such as government retirees and university graduates to make them see the potential of entrepreneurship or franchise business as one of the areas of employment other than earning a salary.
“Also the targeted women segment, namely housewives so that they can also join the franchise business to generate income,” he said when met at the Pernas Aildilfitri open house in Putrajaya here today.
Also present at the open house, attended by about 2,000 guests, were Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick, his deputy minister K. Saraswathy and the ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Suriani Ahmad as well as Pernas chairman Datuk Hazimah Zainuddin.
According to Abu Bakar, guests were served food and beverage products from the franchise and pre-franchise brands under Pernas, which include Gloria Jean’s Coffees and 1901, as well as products by entrepreneurs of the Pernas Business in Transformation (BIT) programme, namely MD Putu Bambu World, Mr Tako and Old Time Sekuang. -Bernama
