AS small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the nation and are the biggest employers in the country, it is of utmost importance to not only help smaller businesses tide through the Covid-19 storm, but also to foster more entrepreneurs to drive the economy.
This rationale is reflected in one of the core focus areas of Budget 2021, which covers the development of business- and entrepreneurship-related initiatives.
To encourage entrepreneurship among Malaysians, there are numerous initiatives that build upon the foundation of existing programmes, such as the RM510mil allocated to the National Entrepreneur Group Economic Fund (Tekun) and Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) to finance Bumiputera entrepreneurs and micro SMEs, which also includes RM20mil for the Indian Community Entrepreneur Development Scheme and RM5mil for the entrepreneurship development of other minority communities.