Tekun Nasional targets RM400m in loans

Tekun Nasional targets to give out RM400 million in loans this year to 40,000 entrepreneurs, up from the RM311.74 million
it approved for 34,510 entrepreneurs last year.

"As of the first quarter of this year, Tekun has approved RM159.35 million in loans for 12,886 entrepreneurs," managing director/chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Rahim Hassan told reporters at a seminar on integrity and governance here today.

The seminar, themed "Integrity, Efficiency and Customer Focus", was opened by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar, who also launched Tekun's new loan approval process, which has now been shortened to 21 days from 45 days previously.

Also present were Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed and Integrity Institute Malaysia president Datuk Dr Mohd Tap Salleh.

Formerly known as Yayasan Tekun Nasional, the agency was set up in 1998, and as of April this year approved loans totalling RM2.072 billion to 214,156 entrepreneurs, Abdul Rahim said, adding Selangor tops the list of borrowers, followed by Terengganu and Johor.

He reiterated Tekun's pledge on good governance and prevention of
corruption, abuse of power and misappropriation.

The agency has also appointed a chief integrity officer and will sign a corporate integrity pledge aimed at improving efforts to eradicate graft, he added. -- Bernama