PUTRAJAYA (March 2): Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) will introduce a new financing scheme for individuals who have been laid off due to the Covid-19 pandemic and intend to start business, chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar said.

He said the scheme with an allocation of RM50 million would help those affected with a minimum loan of RM50,000 to start a business.

The scheme, which is different from the previous Bumiputera Relief Financing (BRF) focusing on financing for affected companies, would be launched soon, he told reporters here today.

He said this after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between PUNB and seven agencies under the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC).

The agencies are National Entrepreneur Group Economic Fund (TEKUN Nasional), Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Bhd (Bank Rakyat), Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Bhd (SME Bank), UDA Holdings Bhd, Perbadanan Nasional Bhd, National Entrepreneurship Institute (INSKEN) and SME Corporation Malaysia.

On the MoU, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said it is a synergy in the effort to create a business ecosystem that is conducive to generate a more competitive Bumiputera social economy.

Among the scope of cooperation under the MoU are offering business financing, sharing of ideas, business opportunities, facilities and business promotion.

“Financing factors and lack of funding are among the main contributing factors for the lack of participation of Bumiputera entrepreneurs in the economic sector. 

"I am confident this synergy can create 100 millionaires every year among the small and medium enterprises, through the MEDAC and PUNB collaboration,” Wan Junaidi said.