KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (MAICCI) president Datuk N Gopalakrishnan said it takes a lot from a person to start their entrepreneurship journey, and it is the organisation’s pledge to stand alongside and assist them to reach their goal.
The fruition of their pledge was the Rakan Mikro programme which was designed to elevate the status of the Malaysian entrepreneurs and micro-business owners and ensure they receive full support in terms of funding, training, knowledge, and more from the government.
MAICCI president Datuk N Gopalakrishnan said their flagship programme had strong and endless backing from the government agencies that they have approached to be part of Rakan Mikro.
“Funding is not the only help that we are aiming to give all the Malaysian Indian business owners, we are assisting them to engage with all the relevant government agencies to ensure their businesses flourish,” said Gopalakrishnan during the launch of their programme yesterday.
The event attended by about 500 participants was officiated by SME Corp Malaysia chairman Datuk Seri Syed Hussein Al Habshee at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).
He said SME Corp was proud to stand alongside MAICCI for the benefit of the Malaysian Indian business community, and he was awed by the Rakan Mikro programme as well.
“I saw that the participants today have been exposed to all the avenues that are provided by the government to help all the Indian businesses in this country, and I hope they put good use to it.
“I am always ready to work with the MAICCI leadership in all their entrepreneurship enhancement efforts,” he said in his speech after officiating the event and visiting the booths set up by the agencies to assist the participants on site.
One of the participants, Parthiban Ramachandran, 43, said he was pleasantly surprised by the magnitude of the programme.
“I came here because a friend asked me to, didn’t think much of it before but I was taken aback by the assistance that are given here.
“This is like a one stop centre for anyone who knows nothing about setting up a business and we are assisted closely to adhere to our needs,” said Parthiban who is a budding entrepreneur.
Rakan Mikro is planned to be held in at least 60 separate sessions throughout the country from August to November this year, and is expected to garner at least 2,400 participants. – The Capital Post