The National Entrepreneurs Development Corporation (PUNB) aims to gather over 7,000 Bumiputera entrepreneurs to form a national-level group under its entrepreneur development programme by end of this
month.

PUNB Chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the corporation has disbursed RM1.8 billion since 1991 to help Bumiputera businessmen succeed in their business.

He said the success rate is about 70 per cent to date.

"Based on the high success rate, we want to help those who are facing problems to avoid them from closing down their businesses," he told reporters after meeting Bumiputera entrepreneurs here, Tuesday.

Mohd Ali said forming the group was essential to ensure that Bumiputera entrepreneurs remained competitive and complement each other.

"We want them to discuss how to strengthen their business and develop bigger networking among themselves to remain strong and vibrant," he said.

Mohd Ali said he was confident that all state-level entrepreneur groups would form their respective committees within the next few weeks before a national-level group could be formed and meet in March.

He said Kelantan has the fourth highest number of applicants for PUNB funds at RM159 million from 356 companies.

"With only a small number of them facing problems to repay their loans, entrepreneurs in Kelantan and Terengganu must sustain the traditional batik and gold industry that have been popular in the two states for centuries," he said.

He suggested that batik entrepreneurs introduce corporate uniforms for both private and public sectors which are currently using imported textiles in efforts to help the industry grow and to have a reasonable price for batik clothing.