Wanita Umno today called for Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), which offers micro-credit loans for the poor, to be upgraded to Women's Bank.

Its chief, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, said this was because 99 per cent of AIM debtors were women.

She said if AIM were upgraded to Women's Bank, women in the country would feel more comfortable to seek loans and business advice.

"Women's Bank is a phenomenon. In some countries, it may not work, but in others, it has proved to be a successful initiative," she said when winding up the debate at the 2013 Umno General Assembly here today.
Shahrizat, who is the special adviser to the Prime Minister for women and social development affairs, also called on the Finance Ministry to look into the proposal.

Shahrizat also said the Barisan Nasional's (BN) manifesto on women's empowerment in entrepreneurship and efforts to increase women's participation at the decision-making level should be made into reality.

She said the establishment of women's innovation academy under the National Institute of Public Administration was also hoped to benefit women entrepreneurs.

Apart from that, she said the recognition for Wanita Umno as the backbone of the party would definitely boost the spirit of its members to strengthen Umno's political machinery.

She said the movement vowed to become the party's defender against any attacks that would compromise the development of Islam, the Malays and the country.

"I would also like to call on all Umno leaders and members not to bow to the opposition. Why should we follow their lead. We are the ones who must decide our own politics," she stressed.

Meanwhile, Puteri Umno chief Mas Ermieyati Samsuddin, in her winding up speech, also called on Puteri Umno machinery at all levels to lure more young women to join the movement and hence, increase its membership.

She said this was to ensure that Puteri Umno would become the preferred movement among young women.

Ma Ermieyati said having a large membership would not only strengthen the movement, but would also make Puteri Umno a trendy movement.