JOHOR BAHRU: The National Entrepreneur Group Economic Fund (TEKUN Nasional) lodged a police report on Wednesday (Feb 16) after its online application system for Informal and Micro Financing Scheme (SPIM) was believed to have been hacked.

Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said initially, TEKUN Nasional explained that the issue of delays was due to technical glitches, but after an internal investigation, it identified that the system had been hacked.

"I received complaints from the public about late payments but this matter happened as the system was hacked on Feb 8, causing disruptions to the system.

"TEKUN lodged a police report due to this. Even though this system has been hacked, TEKUN will still continue to make payments manually as well as through cheques," he said at a press conference after a SPIM programme to help entrepreneurs revive their businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic here today.

He also said that the case did not involve any financial losses, and that the matter is under police investigation.

Noh said the ministry, via TEKUN Nasional, launched SPIM to help entrepreneurs who were not only affected by COVID-19 but by the recent floods as well. Applications for the RM200 million fund were open from Jan 1 to 15.

He said until Feb 15, a total of 23,767 applications had been received and 15,902 applications approved involving an amount of RM130.5 million.

"So far, TEKUN Nasional has channelled a total of RM110.1 million to 13,370 entrepreneurs under SPIM via cheques and electronic fund transfers," he also said.

He added that the disbursement of funds was expected to be completed by mid-March.

-- BERNAMA