Zahid pushes 'One Family, One Entrepreneur' concept

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today the 'One Family, One Entrepreneur' concept was introduced to encourage young people to venture into business.

He said having at least one individual from a family in business would make that person the cornerstone of the family economy.

"We have to put this aspiration into action right now. One entrepreneur in a family can eventually influence the others as well," he said when closing the Young Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Congress 2015 here.

Ahmad Zahid said the move should be made immediately because entrepreneurship had yet to become a career of choice of tertiary students.

For example, in 2013, only about one per cent of graduates ventured into business within six months of their graduation, he said.

Ahmad Zahid also advised young Bumiputera entrepreneurs to preserve capital - financial and human - as well as integrity and honesty to strike a balance between this world and the hereafter.

"Many have succeeded ... and many have also forgotten the basics of religion," he said, explaining that some successful people did not fulfill their religious obligations such as paying tithes and giving alms.

The Deputy Prime Minister said Bumiputera entrepreneurs should support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the implementation of the economic transformation programme which did not sideline the Bumiputera agenda.