KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 15): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has instructed Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) to continue with the MARA Digital project to open up more opportunities for Bumiputera youth to get involved as information technology (IT) entrepreneurs.

He said several MARA Digital centres had been established so far, namely in Shah Alam, Selangor; Kuantan, Pahang and Ipoh, Perak, while other places that had been identified were Larkin, Johor; Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu; Kota Bharu, Kelantan; Kuching, Sarawak and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Ismail Sabri said, however, that when Pakatan Harapan took over the government following the 14th general election in 2018, the MARA Digital initiative was shut down and new projects were discontinued.

"MARA Digital is very close to my heart. I came up with it to develop Bumiputera entrepreneurs in the field of IT and gadgets, whether in terms of selling products, repairing (equipment) and others," he said in a post on Facebook on Monday (Aug 15) night.

Earlier, the prime minister made a surprise visit to MARA Digital Kuala Lumpur, accompanied by Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

"Alhamdulillah, during the visit, the traders informed me that they were still able to continue business because sales were increasing, but (that they) needed support from MARA in terms of promotion, loan assistance and reduction of rental rates, among others," he said.

The opening of MARA Digital as a telecommunications and IT equipment sales centre in 2015 was spearheaded by Ismail Sabri, who was then the Minister of Rural and Regional Development.