PUNB to collaborate with MITI, MED to help entrepreneurs in overseas ventures

By Azlee Nor Mahmud

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 (Bernama) -- Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) plans to collaborate with the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development (MED) to help PUNB entrepreneurs in making international forays.

Towards this end, it will sign memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the two ministries by end of next month, said its chairman, Datuk Hazimah Zainuddin.

The agreement with MITI will involve collaborating with MITI agencies such as the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation, Malaysian Investment Development Authority and Malaysia Productivity Corporation.

“We want to work and sign MoUs with MED and MITI so that they can help us out with the intention of preparing entrepreneurs for international markets,” she told Bernama today, adding that the MoU signing with the two ministries was scheduled for July 30. 

On the current state of the Bumiputera entrepreneurs, Hazimah said businesses were doing relatively well, but they should not solely depend on the domestic market.

“To say that all the entrepreneurs are not doing well is not fair because there are some entrepreneurs who are doing really well; in fact, there are many Bumiputera companies that are doing much better than we (PUNB) thought,” she said.

Hazimah said to ensure the success of Bumiputera entrepreneurs in the international market, PUNB would not let them venture unassisted.

“We have to guide them, make sure their export business is expanding, (because) the only way to sustain businesses is to have linkages with businesses outside the country,” she added.

Hazimah said she doesn’t believe in working in silos, that is, PUNB working by itself.

“That’s why we have plans to work with a few ministries by signing MoUs, namely with MITI and MED.

“We’re also trying to expose them (the entrepreneurs) to EXIM Bank so that they know EXIM Bank is able to give export trade financing as well as help entrepreneurs expand their business overseas,” said Hazimah.

-- BERNAMA