July 02, 2009 21:25 PM

Support Group To Aid Women Entrepreneurs

KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 (Bernama) -- Wanita Umno will form a support group under its economic development secretariat to ensure women entrepreneurs are not left out in the distribution of bumiputera equity.

The movement chief, Senator Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, said members of the support group would also comprise representatives from the various bumiputera women entrepreneurs associations.

She said the group would assist women entrepreneurs to expand their businesses, as well as invest locally and abroad.

"We will also help them to obtain capital as many have complained of difficulties to get the fund to start their businesses," she told reporters at a function with women entrepreneurs here Thurdday.

Shahrizat, who is Women, Family and Social Development Minister, welcomed the establishment of Ekuiti Nasional Sdn Bhd (Ekuinas), which she hoped would come up with a strategic action plan to enhance women's participation in the country's investment sector.

Ekuinas is a new investment institution established by the government to cater for particular areas which needed greater attention such as unlisted companies.

Shahrizat also said that Wanita Umno members would carry out programmes to explain to the people on the 30 per cent bumiputera equity, following confusion that it had been abolished.

"It is not true (that it is abolished)...what was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak recently was actually not to abolish the 30 per cent equity as the quota is retained.

"The government only changed its form to further enhance bumiputera businesses in the corporate and economic sectors, the change is only in the Foreign Investment Committee (FIC) guidelines ," she added.



-- BERNAMA

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