KUALA PILAH, Aug 25 — Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) has applied for an allocation of RM1 billion from the government through Budget 2023 to implement various entrepreneurial programmes nationwide to raise the entrepreneurs’ competitiveness.

The agency’s chairman, Datuk Seri Azizah Mohd Dun said the allocation would be fully used to assist Bumiputera entrepreneurs by providing training, digitalisation grants, and marketing and advisory services.

"This year, MARA has allocated about RM450 million to assist the entrepreneurs. Many have become successful in various specialised fields such as bitumen, automotive, hotel industry and textile, where I’ve made visits to Kedah, Johor and Sabah.

"We’ve also asked for a bigger allocation for DanaNITA (Special Business Financing Scheme for Women) to assist about 30,000 women entrepreneurs across the country. We want them to be active and succeed up to the global level.

"MARA has also established a committee, besides a centre at Universiti Kuala Lumpur, specially to assist in empowering women by providing training and advisory services,” she told reporters after officially opening a gold shop, here, today.

Azizah said that in Negri Sembilan, an allocation of RM960,000 was allocated for developing entrepreneurship for 305 entrepreneurs in terms of training facilities, and business enhancement and digitalisation programmes.

She said over RM40 million had been allocated for funding facility for 330 entrepreneurs and RM360,000 for educational development that benefited 1,105 students up to last month.

"In tandem with the entrepreneurial development, the educational development programme in Negeri Sembilan also received good response from the entrepreneurs by assisting the programme through their community services and contribution through Yayasan Pelajaran MARA (YPM), the MARA Education Foundation.

"Up to last July, 11 entrepreneurs had contributed RM99,000 to the educational development programme through tuition classes, Quran literacy and foster children programmes, one-off schooling aid and other efforts for 327 students through YPM. — Bernama