KANGAR: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) is targeting one billion ringgit in loan repayments this year under its entrepreneurship and education financing schemes.
MARA director-general Datuk Zulfikri Osman said repayment collection as of August remains on track, despite some borrowers facing challenges.
“Typically, five out of 10 entrepreneurs repay their loans without issue, while the remaining may face difficulties,” he said after officiating the Perlis State Entrepreneurs Gathering 2025 here today.
Zulfikri said MARA offers support such as loan rescheduling to help them.
He said of the 1.5 million businesses registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), more than 80% are micro-entrepreneurs with annual sales below 300,000 ringgit.
“We aim to help micro-entrepreneurs grow into small and eventually medium-sized enterprises,” he said.
Zulfikri said MARA provides a complete ecosystem, covering human capital development, financing, advisory services and business premises.
In Perlis, he said 2,000 entrepreneurs have benefited from MARA assistance this year under a 20 million ringgit allocation, generating 51.5 million ringgit in sales and creating more than 3,500 job opportunities.
He also encouraged entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in the Chuping Valley Industrial Area (CVIA) and cross-border trade with Thailand.
The gathering featured a Bicara Naratif session by Zulfikri and a Bless Talk titled ‘Northern Region Logistics Hub: Is Perlis Ready?’, with panellists from the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) and the private sector.
The event brought together 350 entrepreneurs, with participation from various agencies including SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp), FAMA, RISDA, TEKUN Nasional, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), MADA, Felcra Bhd and GIATMARA Perlis. – Bernama
