By Usha Muthusamy
KUALA LUMPUR, 20 July 2025: The Malaysian government, through the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry (KUSKOP), has launched and implemented nine high-impact initiatives aimed at significantly strengthening the economic standing of the Indian community. These comprehensive programs, active since last year and continuing into mid-2025, are backed by a substantial allocation, underscoring the Madani government’s unwavering commitment to inclusive and equitable national development.
Deputy Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan announced that these initiatives, covering financing, capacity building, specialized training, cooperative empowerment, and direct community engagement, have already yielded impressive results. As of June this year, over RM356 million has been allocated through various financing and entrepreneurship development programs, directly benefiting nearly 9,000 Indian entrepreneurs nationwide. Ramanan emphasized that these figures represent a tangible testament to the government’s commitment to ensuring the Indian community is fully integrated into the national development mainstream.
Among the nine key initiatives introduced to foster economic empowerment are the Indian Community Entrepreneur Development Scheme (SPUMI) and its expanded component, SPUMI Goes Big. Other notable programs include the Prosperity Empowerment and A New Normal for Indian Women (PENN) programme, Bank Rakyat Indian Entrepreneur Financing-i (Brief-i), Vanigham Financing for Indian Entrepreneurs, and the Vanakam MADANI initiative. Further bolstering support, KUSKOP has rolled out the Business Accelerator Programme for Indian Small Business (i-BAP), the Empowering Indian Entrepreneur (EIP 2024) programme, and the Indian Community Cooperative Conference (PKKI 2024). Crucially, financial assistance has also been extended for Indian houses of worship, recognizing their vital role in community well-being.
These diverse programs provide various forms of aid, including direct loan assistance, specialized training, and robust support for cooperative development. The financial aid and entrepreneurship development initiatives have been strategically channeled through key institutions such as Tekun Nasional, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, Bank Rakyat, SME Bank, and SME Corp, ensuring broad reach and effective implementation across the Indian community.
Looking ahead, Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim has directed the implementation of additional programs for the Indian community. Ramanan affirmed his dedication to exploring and introducing new initiatives in the interim to further solidify the economic position of the Indian community in Malaysia. He stressed that empowering the community is an ongoing, measurable endeavor, and pledged to ensure efficient service delivery and continuous monitoring of this vital agenda to achieve a truly ‘MADANI Malaysia’ where no community is left behind.
