KUSKOP Raises Awareness Of Financing Schemes Via Engagement Session With Indian Community

GEORGE TOWN, April 28 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (KUSKOP) held an engagement session today with assemblymen and representatives from the Indian community to provide information on financing schemes, including the Entrepreneur Capital Package and Indian Economic Stimulus (MUDRA) scheme.

Special Task Officer to the Minister, P Vimalan, said the session provided community leaders with a comprehensive understanding of the Ministry’s initiatives to support the scaling up of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

"Agencies under KUSKOP explained the financing schemes during the engagement session. In the first phase, we targeted Indian community leaders and elected representatives to ensure that information could be disseminated more widely to the community at the grassroots level.

"Previously, similar briefing series were held in the Central Zone and Southern Zone, covering Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan, Johor and Selangor. Today's session is for the Northern Zone, involving Penang, Kedah and Perak," he told Bernama.

The special briefing session by TEKUN, Bank Rakyat, SME Bank and several other agencies was held at the Kampung Bukit Bendera Community Management Council hall.

Vimalan said his team will continue organising exhibitions and briefings by going directly to the ground to meet Indian entrepreneurs to raise awareness of the various schemes offered under KUSKOP.

He added that the programme also focuses on MUDRA, a special RM220 million financing initiative designed to empower Indian community entrepreneurs.

The initiative offers business capital packages through agencies such as TEKUN Nasional, Bank Rakyat, and SME Bank, to strengthen the MSME and cooperative ecosystem within the Indian community.

Meanwhile, Buntong (Perak) assemblyman M Thulsi described the programme as an effective way to raise community awareness of the various forms of government assistance available.

He said that small-scale approaches, such as the briefing session, provide participants with a more interactive space to seek clarification and ask questions directly to the agencies involved.

"Programmes like this are important because many in the business community, particularly the Indian community, are still unaware of the assistance available, including financial support for businesses, equipment assistance such as machinery purchases, and asset ownership.

"Engagement sessions like this are very encouraging because community leaders can gain a clearer understanding of the schemes and programmes under KUSKOP, which in turn helps them pass that information on to the local community," he said.

Thulsi said his Buntong constituency has approximately 45,000 residents, nearly 50 per cent of whom are from the Indian community; therefore, efforts to broaden the reach of such programmes are extremely important.

-- BERNAMA