SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLOSES INCOME GAP - MUSA HITAM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22  (Bernama) -- Social entrepreneurship plays a role in bridging the gap between the incomes of the rich and poor in urban and rural areas, said chairman of the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), Tun Musa Hitam.

He said social entrepreneurs should not hope for government aid but should work with the private sector and non-governmental organisations to implement projects which benefit society, especially the B40 group.

“Social entrepreneurship can solve social problems and close the income gap of Malaysians because poverty is one of the contributing factors to social woes..it is not easily done because it involves a strong sense of volunteerism as there are no incentives here,” he said.

Musa was speaking at a press conference held after presenting a keynote address at the Social Entrepreneurship Forum – ‘Social Enterprise: Empowering the Future’ organised jointly by the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT) and WIEF with the International Islamic University Malaysia  (UIAM) here today.

The forum was launched by UIAM deputy rector (Academic and Industrial Linkages) Prof Dr Isarji Sarudin and AKEPT director Prof Datuk Dr Rohana Yusof.

The two-day forum which ends tomorrow, attended by 37 experts from 11 countries, focuses on dialogues within the social entrepreneur sector and its effect on the world economy, while boosting the industry-university link.

Musa said when an organisation practises social entrepreneurship, a portion of its profits will be channelled to society in various forms including education, knowledge-sharing and skills.

At the same time, he said, it would provide more job opportunities in the future.

“According to an online survey conducted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation in 2016, Malaysia is at ninth place (in the list of) the best locations for social entrepreneurship, this places Malaysia not far behind America at first place, Canada (second) and United Kingdom (third),” Musa said.

-- BERNAMA