RM250,000 To Empower Penang Muslim League Youths With Digital, Entrepreneurial Skills – PM

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 6 (Bernama) —  Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today announced an initial allocation of RM250,000 to support entrepreneurship and digital training for youths under the Penang Muslim League.

He said the allocation aims to ensure that all opportunities provided by the government are fully utilised, bridging the digital divide between the wealthy elite and the general public.

Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the funds could be coordinated with relevant ministries and departments to offer early training and exposure to the target group.

“I have approved RM250,000 as a basic starting point, which I believe can be used to strengthen efforts focusing on entrepreneurship training.

“I also urge the Muslim League to continue playing an active role in education, culture, history and entrepreneurship, especially in the current digital era,” he said at the 70th anniversary dinner of the Penang Muslim League held at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre in Bayan Lepas, near here tonight.

Meanwhile, Anwar called on Malaysian youths to sharpen their skills and gain exposure in entrepreneurship, engineering, digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure the nation has sufficient experts in line with Penang's status as a leading semiconductor hub in the region.

“We have emerged as an important player and are considered one of the most significant semiconductor hubs in the region. Investments are flowing in, so we need our people, including your members, young members, and children to be involved in this activity.

“It is to make sure that we have adequate training exposure in this new field such as engineering, digital, AI to make sure that we fully utilise these facilities and the new opportunities,” he said. 

On the Indian Muslim community’s application for Bumiputera status for those born in Malaysia, Anwar said the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) and its minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail would review and manage the matter.

“Whether one qualifies or not, they have to observe the normal process. It is an individual application, it’s not a time frame. It depends on the individual application. It is not group or association, individual,” he told reporters after the event. 

Earlier, Malaysian Muslim League president Datuk Seri Najmudeen Kader urged the government to address the issue following several complaints from the Indian Muslim community.

Also present at the event were Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid.

— BERNAMA