Mara has allocated RM50 million for its Dana Nita programme, specially for women nationwide who want to venture into entrepreneurship or business this year.

Deputy Director-General (Entrepreneurship), Zulfikri Osman said under the programme, the maximum financial assistance given to each qualified applicant was RM50,000.

He said some RM5 million out of the total allocation would be used to implement courses and training for the applicants before they were qualified to submit their applications.

"The Dana Nita programme was launched following the proposal by Wanita UMNO Malaysia at the UMNO General Assembly held at the Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur last year," Zulfikri told Bernama here.

As for Perlis, he said Mara had set aside an allocation of RM15 million to help entrepreneurs in the state venture into business and entrepreneurship this year alone.

The allocation included financing, training and other activities related to entrepreneurship, he added.

"Perlis as a Malay state is synonymous with clothing and food business.

"In the long term, it will be among the states that are strategic as it is located at the international border.

"Mara is confident that the technopreneur sector has the potential to succeed in Perlis, besides it has many training and educational institutions, along with other agencies that enable entrepreneurs get formal training," said Zulfikri.

He said Mara, which is committed to helping the Bumiputera entrepreneurs, had formulated a long-term plan to ensure sustainability of the Malays in the state in business and entrepreneurship.

-- BERNAMA