TEKUN Channels RM57.97 Mln To Over 2,700 Indian Entrepreneurs This Year

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 (Bernama) -- The National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (TEKUN) has channelled RM57.97 million to 2,730 entrepreneurs from the Indian community as of Dec 23 through the SPUMI Goes Big and TEKUN SPUMI financing schemes.

According to Datuk B. Anbumani, the Senior Private Secretary to the Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development, the programmes received a total allocation of RM60 million this year, with about RM2.1 million still available for use by the end of the year.

“Many recipients are on the waiting list, and TEKUN is actively identifying eligible recipients to ensure that the remaining funding is channelled before the end of the year,” he told reporters after the TEKUN Nasional Funding Cheque Presentation to Indian community entrepreneurs here today.

Anbumani presented the cheques on behalf of Datuk Seri R. Ramanan Ramakrishnan, the Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives.

He also said that a survey by TEKUN found that the SPUMI Goes Big and TEKUN SPUMI financing schemes have effectively supported Indian entrepreneurs in need of financial assistance to expand their businesses.

Anbumani said that today’s programme was another initiative that would be carried out from time to time to continue empowering entrepreneurs from the Indian community, in addition to helping them generate better income.

In the meantime, he said that Ramanan was working on strategic planning to increase the RM30 million allocation for next year, as announced in the 2025 budget.

“There may be additional (funding), but we need to wait for the allocation for next year. Datuk Seri R. Ramanan will hold a discussion session with TEKUN management, as this RM30 million is not enough.

“I can assure you that there will definitely be good news for the TEKUN financing programmes for the Indian community next year. If we look at this year, for the first time in history, an allocation of RM60 million has been channelled for entrepreneurs from the Indian community,” he said.

He said that, in addition, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had instructed the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry (KUSKOP) to implement more initiatives for the Indian community next year.

This year, KUSKOP, through its agencies, has implemented several special programmes for the Indian community, such as the Prosperity, Empowerment and A New Normal (PENN) programme for women entrepreneurs from the Indian community, a special grant for small-sized Indian-owned companies (I-BAP), and Vanakam MADANI.

Other programmes include the Bank Rakyat Indian Entrepreneur Financing (BREIF-i), Empowering Indian Entrepreneurs (EIP), and the Indian Community Cooperative Conference, which was held on Oct 4, offering grants of up to RM30,000 for the Indian community cooperatives in attendance.

-- BERNAMA