DUBS hopes 2019 Budget emphasises enhancing Bumiputera agenda

KUCHING: Sarawak Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Chamber ( DUBS) hopes the coming 2019 Budget, the first budget to be tabled by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government, will emphasise enhancing the Bumiputera agenda.

Its president Datuk Abang Helmi Ikhwan said the current financial constraints faced by the federal government should not affect financing for Bumiputera businesses.

“We are aware of the challenges faced by the federal government for the 2019 Budget. Everyone knows and talks about it.

“However, whatever the problem, it should not affect the assistance or funding for Bumiputera entrepreneurs. The agenda to improve the Bumiputera economic wellbeing must continue,” he said yesterday.

He added that if the federal government were to stop the implementation of programmes to help Bumiputera entrepreneurs, it would affect the growth of the Bumiputera business community.

“Last year, several of such programmes meant to strengthen Bumiputera business were badly done. Many did not proceed and even some of these programmes were cancelled,” he said.

In this regard, he hoped the federal government under PH would find ways to bolster the growth of the Bumiputera business community in the country which is still lagging behind others.

“We hope the PH federal government will announce good news for Bumiputera entrepreneurs nationwide. Bumiputera entrepreneurs in Sarawak particularly need support and assistance in terms of financing from the government because many of them are in small and medium enterprises,” he said.

The 2019 Budget is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament on Nov 2. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng was quoted as saying that it will be a difficult one for the federal government, as the government must fix the country’s fiscal finances while improving the wellbeing of the people.