NIBONG TEBAL, June 29 (Bernama) -- Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk R. Ramanan stated that the Indian community has renewed confidence in the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He hoped that the community would allow the Unity Government more time to govern the country and develop additional programmes and initiatives tailored specifically to them.
"Looking at the past six months, the government has established various programmes for the Indian community, including RM50 million allocated through the Bank Rakyat Indian Entrepreneur Financing-i (BRIEF-i) Scheme."
"All these announcements have been made in a short period. Currently, we are also working on new initiatives and ideas to ensure the community receives (more) government assistance. This will take some time," he told reporters at the Cooperative Chat programme organised by the Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission at the Perda Community Hall, Padang Lalang, Simpang Ampat, today.
He urged cooperatives to take advantage of the financing facilities provided by the commission, adding that assistance ranges from RM100,000 to RM300,000 and is available to start-up, scale-up, and advanced cooperatives.
Start-ups refer to cooperatives that have been in business for at least six months, while scale-ups have been operational for a year, and advanced for three years.
"The assistance covers the upgrading of business premises, purchasing tools, equipment, and machinery, and putting in drainage systems for plantation areas and more," he said.
"Currently, there are eight financing products available with interest rates as low as 1.0 percent, designed to benefit over 15,000 cooperatives in Malaysia,” he elaborated.
Commenting on allegations of attempts to sabotage the Unity campaign machinery in the Sungai Bakap by-election, Ramanan, who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy Information chief 1, said such acts of vandalism do not set a good example for the youth.
“There is no point for us to campaign in this manner. It is very demoralising to everyone, including our children. Let’s be mature. Elections will come and go but we will be here (to witness the impact on our society),” he said.
On June 27, the Penang branch of Angkatan Muda Keadilan filed a police report claiming that certain parties were trying to sabotage the Unity campaign machinery for the by-election by taking down Pakatan Harapan (PH) banners and flags, with some even thrown into drains.
-- BERNAMA
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