FREE GRANTS FOR NEW BUMI ENTREPRENEURS

A chance for low-income families to improve their standard of living, says MB

BUMIPUTERA small- and medium-scale entrepreneurs( SM Es) have been encouraged to join the Bumiputera Micro Entrepeneurs Development Programme (MCash), which provides free grants to them to expand their businesses.

Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man said the programme, initiated by the government through the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA), allows SMEs to move up their business to a new level.

“This important initiative will provide a chance for low-income families to improve their standard of living so that they will not depend on government aid,” he said here yesterday.

Azlan was met after presenting more than RM5.5 million in grants under MCash and Program Dana Mudahcara Teraju@NCIA that was jointly implemented by NCIA and Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju) to 15 recipients from Perlis.

Sarizan Hamid, 42, who owns a barber shop at Bazar Wakaf Rakyat in Jejawi, said the RM18,550 he received from MCash helped him to buy new equipment for his shop.

Sarizan said he had to fork out RM10,000 in capital when he started the business eight years ago.

“I started with only two chairs and now I plan to buy two more chairs and new hairstyling tools,” he said after receiving the grant.

Sarizan urged more young entrepreneurs to join the MCash programme if they were interested in opening up their own businesses.

Bakery owner Nor Faiznin Mokhtar, 34, said it was easy to apply for the MCash programme and the application process was fast.

“I learnt about MCash trough a seminar organised by the Perlis government and applied for the grant to replace an old bread mixer that I have.

“It took several months for my application to be approved and now I can produce more bread with the new mixer,” said Faiznin.

Aima Development Sdn Bhd general manager Mohd Zuber Ahmad said the RM4.5 million grant he received under Dana Mudahcara Teraju@NCIA was for the infrastructure work at a mixed development project carried out by the company in Taman Putra Utama here.

“We are glad that Teraju has agreed to open up the fund to developers and we will make use of the money that we received for projects that will benefit the Bumiputera community here,” he said.

He said the mixed development project, to be completed by end of next year, would provide 100 units of houses and 145 shop units on a 20.2ha site.

HAFIZUDIN MOHD SAFAR PIC BY Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man (seated) and Northern Corridor Implementation Authority chief executive Datuk Redza Rafiq (second from right) with a recipient of the MCash grant, barber Sarizan Hamid (right), in Kangar yesterday.