TEKUN Channels RM52 Million to 2,400 Johor Entrepreneurs
JOHOR BAHRU – The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP), through TEKUN Nasional, has disbursed financing totalling RM52 million to 2,400 entrepreneurs in Johor for the period from 1 January to 31 May.
This amount places Johor as the third highest recipient state of TEKUN financing in Malaysia.
Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister, Steven Sim Chee Keong said this achievement proves that Johor continues to be among the states given attention in efforts to strengthen micro-entrepreneurs and stimulate local economic growth.
“Of the total financing recipients in Johor, 64 per cent are women entrepreneurs.
“This simultaneously proves that this group plays an important role in driving entrepreneurial activities as well as the nation’s economic growth,” he said.
He said this when attending a Meet-and-Greet Session with approximately 400 TEKUN entrepreneurs from Johor recently.
According to him, the majority of TEKUN financing recipients in Johor involved the services sector with 1,183 entrepreneurs, followed by the retail sector (669), manufacturing (260), small contractors (234) as well as agriculture and agro-based enterprises (54).
He said the majority of TEKUN entrepreneurs consist of micro-entrepreneurs and community entrepreneurs, who are among the backbone of the people’s economy.
“This situation is in line with the country’s enterprise landscape where nearly 80 per cent of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Malaysia consist of micro-enterprises.
“I extend my appreciation to all TEKUN entrepreneurs who remain committed to developing their businesses, improving family well-being and contributing to the economic growth of the people and the nation,” he said.
He explained that TEKUN financing is not merely about providing business capital, but also opens up opportunities for entrepreneurs to increase technology adoption, strengthen business capabilities and enhance productivity.
“KUSKOP provides a comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystem encompassing micro-financing through TEKUN Nasional and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), in addition to growth financing through SME Corp Malaysia, SME Bank and Bank Rakyat.
“In addition to financing, the ministry also provides training and capacity development through the National Entrepreneurship Institute (INSKEN), the Malaysian Cooperative Institute (IKMa) and various other agencies under the ministry,” he said.
Steven Sim said the development of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), infrastructure improvements as well as the influx of new investments place Johor in a strategic position as the country’s new growth hub.
“These developments are expected to open up more opportunities for local companies to grow into larger, more productive and more competitive businesses at both the national and international levels,” he said.
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