Financial aid, moratorium granted to 187,690 affected entrepreneurs - Noh

Apart from that, he said a total of 2,618 unemployed individuals have also undergone training to develop their entrepreneurial skills.

"Meanwhile, a total of 7,113 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been assisted to strengthen their business resilience through technology adoption.

"At the same time, in line with the aspirations of the National Entrepreneurship Policy 2030, several guidelines and strategies have been drawn up to strengthen the implementation of entrepreneurial education and skills," he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said this in response to a question from Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian) who asked about the target set for MSMEs, the achievements and actions taken towards actualising the entrepreneurial nation aspiration.

Ahmad also asked about the percentage of Bumiputera-owned MSMEs and steps taken to increase the number of Bumiputera MSMEs, as well as whether MEDAC is ready to consider introducing entrepreneurship subjects in secondary and tertiary educational levels to foster and enhance entrepreneurial culture and knowledge.

Noh said based on the 2018 economic census by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), 354,704 or 39.1 per cent of a total of 907,065 enterprises were Bumiputera-owned.

"To create an entrepreneurial nation culture, we have started from the school level where many cooperatives have been set up in schools.

"The Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (SKM) has also contributed by approving assistance for cooperatives in 2021," he said.

Noh said he also supports the proposal to introduce entrepreneurship subjects, while noting that the Ministry of Education has incorporated entrepreneurship elements or components in the primary and secondary school curriculum, as well as specific subjects on entrepreneurship under the education division and also vocational-technical training.

Meanwhile, M Karupaiya (PH-Padang Serai) had also asked about the ministry's efforts to help entrepreneurs who had to close their businesses due to the pandemic and get them back on their feet.

Noh said MEDAC had implemented several programmes, including providing financial assistance to those affected in the form of loans or grants which were channelled through 11 of the ministry's agencies, as well as providing moratoriums to those who were affected.

"The ministry had also embarked on inter-agency collaborations. For example, we wanted to ensure that the 848 units of business premises in shopping complexes owned by UDA Holdings Bhd nationwide are fully utilised.

"Alhamdulillah, by the end of this month, 100 per cent of all business premises in the UDA business complex will start operating, and we start by bringing in any entrepreneur who wants to start a business in the premises," he said.

He added that the entrepreneurs can obtain loans from agencies such as the National Entrepreneur Group Economic Fund (TEKUN) and Bank Rakyat to help them in kickstarting their business.