11th March, 2013
KOTA KINABALU: The government
will continue to promote greater participation of Bumiputeras in
business and entrepreneurship in line with its objective to create a
successful and resilient Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community
(BCIC), said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.
“The federal and state governments are always looking for ways to
help the traders and entrepreneurs in Sabah to thrive,” he said at an
assembly of the National Business Venture Group Economic Fund (TEKUN
Nasional) entrepreneurs here yesterday.
He said the BN government under the leadership of the Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would always provide opportunities to
traders to grow their businesses such as providing them with the TEKUN loan.
“The government is also implementing various initiatives for the prosperity and wellbeing of the people.
“Thus, a variety of programmes have been and will be implemented by
the state and federal governments to help realise our goal of becoming a
high income, developed nation by the year 2020,” he said.
In this regard, Musa urged the entrepreneurs to assist one another
not only to ensure their businesses continue to grow and be competitive
but also to ensure that the government’s efforts to bring about
prosperity and wellbeing to all sections of the people in Sabah and
Malaysia would become successful.
Meanwhile, since its inception in 1998, TEKUN Nasional has given out RM2.5 billion in loans to 244,863 traders and entrepreneurs throughout the country, he said.
It has disbursed loans amounting to RM171.3 million to 20,762 entrepreneurs in Sabah alone during the same period, he added.
During the first two months of this year, TEKUN Nasional has disbursed loans totalling RM87 million to more than 7,690 entrepreneurs while RM8 million in loans were given to 851 entrepreneurs in Sabah.
On behalf of the state government, Musa thanked the federal government for giving a lot of TEKUN loans to Sabahans.
He advised the loanees to work hard to developing their business as well as to repay the loans
“If we have the determination, surely we will succeed… and we should
be thrifty, work hard and manage our finance well,” Musa advised TEKUN Nasional entrepreneurs while sharing his experience as a businessman before he entered into politics.
Meanwhile, Musa also urged the people of Sabah to be thankful and
grateful for all the help and facilities provided by the Barisan
Nasional (BN) government.
“The people of Sabah know how to be grateful and they will repay the
leaders’ kindness by voting for the BN in the 13th general election,”
he said.
He said although recently the people of Sabah were shocked and
saddened by the news of the Lahad Datu intrusion incident, the BN
government is confident of resolving problem from the outset.
“At first we took the best approach of not wanting to spill any
blood as this is the Malaysian way but they (the intruders) did not want
to negotiate, and chose the bad way that cost the lives of our security
personnel.
“We have launched the attack and now we will no longer compromise
and so if anyone intrudes Sabah … this is how we defend our
sovereignty,” he said.
In the meantime, Musa also denounced the action of some opposition
leaders who like to spread lies and said that what happened was just a
‘drama’ by the government.
He said this was the difference in attitude between the opposition and the BN leaders.
“The opposition leaders are irresponsible and make treacherous
remarks while the BN government is always ready to face whatever
challenges that come its way,” said Musa.
He said while the people in Sabah continue to lead a normal and
peaceful life, the sacrifices of security personnel who lost their lives
would always be appreciated.
“We will continue to strengthen unity so that together with the
security forces we will defend the sovereignty of the safety of our
nation,” said Musa.
Meanwhile, 26 TEKUN entrepreneurs from each parliamentary constituency in Sabah and Labuan received Outstanding TEKUN Entrepreneur Awards while 709 Sabah entrepreneurs received TEKUN loans totalling more than RM6 million at the event.
TEKUN Nasional also donated RM20,000
to the widows of policemen killed in the Lahad Datu and Semporna
shooting incidents at the function which was attended by about 4,000 TEKUN entrepreneurs.
Also present were Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture
and Food Industry Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin, Assistant Minister of
Resource Development and Information Technology cum Karambunai
Assemblyman Datuk Jainab Ahmad, Inanam Assemblyman Datuk Johnny Goh, CEO of TEKUN Nasional Datuk Abdul Rahim Hassan and Deputy Chairman of TEKUN Nasional cum Sepanggar Umno chief, Datuk Jumat Idris.
Source: New Sabah Times
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