Today's Pick (21/06/12/111/805) RM100m allocation for bumiputera entrepreneurs in ECER

RM100m allocation for bumiputera entrepreneurs in ECER

KUANTAN: The government yesterday allocated RM100 million from the Bumiputera Agenda Coordinating Fund's (Teraju) RM2 billion fascilitation fund to spur Bumiputera entrepreneurship in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER).

The allocation is expected to help at least 100 Bumiputera entrepreneurs in ECER, which covers Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Mersing in Johor.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said Teraju would open its one-stop centre at the ECER Development Council's (ECERDC) office here soon and interested Bumiputera entrepreneurs could submit their applications for the fund at the centre.

"We do not limit the number of entrepreneurs and those who are eligible should come forward and apply," he told reporters after launching the Jejak 2012 programme here yesterday.

Present were Teraju chief executive officer Husni Salleh and Pahang state secretary Datuk Seri Muhammad Safian Ismail.

For ECER, Nor Mohamed said among the Bumiputera companies and entrepreneurs that could benefit were those in the food, agriculture and oil and gas sectors.
 "Our aim is to generate investments of between RM500 million and RM600 million from the companies which receive the grants from the facilitation fund," he said.

He said ECER was the fourth economic development region to benefit from the fund after the Northern Corridor Economic Region, Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy and Sabah Development Corridor. The last development corridor to benefit from the fund is Iskandar Malaysia.

Earlier, in his speech Nor Mohamed said Teraju, which was established in February last year, had assisted seven projects worth RM692 million through its facilitation fund.
 "It involves RM82 million worth of fund and the projects cover those in the sectors of agriculture; wholesale and retail; information and communication technology and the oil, gas and energy," he said.

At the same time, he said Teraju through its education foundation "Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera" had also accumulated RM158 million funds which would be used to help Bumiputera students.

For this year, he said the foundation had offered scholraships to 210 students and more would get the financial assistance next year.

At the function, Nor Mohamed also witnessed the signing of memorandum of understanding between Pahang Aircraft Industries Sdn Bhd and Malaysian Aviation Academy Sdn Bhd for the development of an aviation campus here.

Source : The New Straits Times                                            Date : 20 June 2012 

Today's Pick (21/06/12/111/805)