Kuala Lumpur: Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said he will continue to give best possible cooperation to National Business Group Economic Fund (Tekun Nasional) in the effort to defend and further develop small and medium entrepreneurs.
He said Tekun Nasional is one of the popular and main choices not only for small traders but also contractors because of the easy and fast loan process.
“Tekun Nasional not only provides micro financing but also guidance and support services, and an entrepreneurial culture.
“I will continue to give the best possible cooperation to Tekun Nasional in an effort to defend and further develop small and medium entrepreneurs that need help from the Government through loans or support programmes provided by Tekun Nasional,” he said after a visit to the agency, here, Friday.
Tekun Nasional is one of the agencies under the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (Kuskop).
Others include the Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (SKM), the Cooperative Institute of Malaysia, SME Corp Malaysia, Bank Rakyat, SME Bank, UDA Holdings Berhad, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) and the Institut Keusahawanan Negara dan Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (Pernas).
Also present were Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Saraswathy Kandasami and the Ministry’s Secretary General Datuk Seri Suriani Ahmad.
So far, Tekun Nasional has 170 offices operating in 222 parliamentary constituencies across the country.
Ewon said Tekun Nasional would hold a 25-year celebration in 2023, which will be a source of pride for all the people, especially entrepreneurs, because Tekun Nasional is one of the agencies that help them succeed in entrepreneurship.
Tekun Nasional Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Datuk Adam Abd Ghani said Tekun Nasional provides financing ranging from RM1,000 to RM100,000 with financing periods from six months to 10 years.
He said the payment method is also customer-friendly with various options, including internet banking, cash deposit machine, cheque or cash.
“In terms of Tekun Nasional’s achievements, since 1998 until November 2022, Tekun Nasional has financed loans amounting to RM8.01 billion to 736,528 entrepreneurs,” he said.
For this year alone from January to November, Tekun Nasional has given loans amounting to RM1.06 billion to a total of 70,463 entrepreneurs throughout Malaysia.
“From the total amount of financing this year, Selanggor recorded the highest number of borrowers of 12,043 entrepreneurs with a financing value of RM180,781,800, followed by Sabah with financing of RM137,209,000 (8,988 borrowers),” he said.
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