‘Women best borrowers of Tekun Nasional fund’

SERDANG: Women’s excellent record as borrowers of the Tekun Nasional fund has inspired the agency to launch a new financing product for them, the TemanNita Financing Scheme.

Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said women were the best borrowers as they had a high level of commitment in repaying their loans.

“Therefore, more women entrepreneurs should be created,” he said in his speech when launching the new scheme together with the adviser on women entrepreneurship and professional development in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

After the launch, Ahmad Shabery told reporters that women who were hawkers or doing small businesses or wishing to start a business could apply for loans under under the TemanNita Financing Scheme with RM100 million allocated for this year.

“Women who are household heads are encouraged to apply to boost their family’s economy. This allocation is a big meaning for those women doing business and also being the household heads,” he said.

He added that if each women could receive a loan of RM10,000 from the RM100 million allocation, 10,000 women entrepreneurs could be created.

The TemanNita Financing Scheme uses the group concept in providing the funding in an easier, faster and efficient manner to do business.

Each group consists of five members with the first loan limited to RM10,000 and the subsequent loan up to RM20,000.

Shahrizat, in her speech, described the financing scheme as one that would empower women economically, which would thus have a positive impact on the family institution. — Bernama