KOTA BARU: The Entrepreneur Development Ministry has hinted at a cut in the allocation for entrepreneurs' grants in the 2019 Budget.
Its minister Mohd Redzuan Md Yusoff said the matter, however, was still being studied to ensure aid only went to the target group.
"I think there won't be free money. I want to reveal this early, that there will not be many grants for entrepreneurs in the upcoming Budget.
"We will only provide grants for those who really need it regardless of race and religion.
"We will take a close look at the target group. What is most important is that we want to increase sources of income and produce more successful entrepreneurs in future, " he said after officiating a factory and launching Canggih Shoppe My-Sutera Sdn Bhd here today.
Also present were his deputy Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli and group chairman of My Sutera Sdn Bhd, Annas Ahmad.
He admitted that repayments for aid under Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (TEKUN) was not encouraging.
"We need to understand why they do not want to pay or are unable to pay. There are those who ask for aid to do business but use it for other purposes.
" So we will take a look at the weaknesses in terms of the aid channeled."
He said a monitoring unit has also been set up in each state to aid entrepreneurs.
"The first unit was set up in Sarawak followed by Kelantan today to enable us to be close to entrepreneurs. We want to give them an avenue to lodge reports. Through this, we will be able to render them assistance."
Mohd Redzuan said entrepreneurs in Kelantan
would be used as the benchmark as they were vsry disciplined in repaying their loans.
"The Kelantaness understand what is doing business is all about and are very responsible."
