By Intan Baha, NewStraitsTimes Online
IPOH: The 2017 Budget will not only empower Bumiputera entrepreneurs but also spur the development of the country’s halal industry.
Halal Development Corp (HDC) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Jamil Bidin urged Bumiputera entrepreneurs to take full advantage of the RM1.52 billion allocated in the 2017 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday.
“With different amount allocated to the SME Bank, Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), these funds will be available for entrepreneurs who need financial assistance in starting their businesses,” he said.
Jamil stated that Bumiputera entrepreneurs’ involvement in the halal industry is noticeably low where only 39 per cent of halal-certified companies are Bumiputera companies. He said this to reporters at the three-day Halal Malaysia Programme 2016 held at the Rural Transformation Centre (RTC) in Gopeng today.
In his announcement yesterday, Najib mentioned a total of eight allocations to increase opportunities for Bumiputera entrepreneurs, which includes RM100 million to SME Bank and RM300 million to the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun) to assist small scaled entrepreneurs to develop their businesses.
