KUANTAN – A total of 12,138 entrepreneurs have benefited from the first phase of the Entrepreneur and Cooperative Recovery Plan with an allocation of RM171 million, said Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.
Mas Ermieyati said the first phase was implemented from May to December 2020, which benefited 96.52% of Bumiputera entrepreneurs, while the second phase started in January and will run till May, involving an allocation of RM17.1 million.
She said a total of 8.5% of entrepreneurs nationwide have been forced to cease operations while 58% faced various issues stemming from the spread of the Covid-19 infection since early last year.
“Recognising the huge implications of this pandemic on entrepreneurs, the ministry has developed a special Entrepreneur and Cooperative Recovery Plan to ensure the sustainability and recovery of the businesses of those involved,” she told reporters after launching Coop Ummah supermarket owned by Koperasi Ummah Berhad here today.
Also present at the ceremony were Cooperatives Commission of Malaysia (CCM) deputy chairman Zazali Harun and Koperasi Ummah Berhad chairman Sabariah Mohd Noor.
Meanwhile, Mas Ermieyati said 30% of cooperatives nationwide have been found to be inactive and that CCM is making efforts to detect these cooperatives to help them resume operations.
She added that CCM will always help its members by providing advice and guidance, as well as assisting them in changing business plans that have failed to give the cooperatives good returns. – Bernama, March 6, 2021
