Ministry Will Push Ahead With Proposal To Set Up Women's Bank - Shahrizat

KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 (Bernama) -- The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry will continue to propose to the government to set up a women's bank to help female entrepreneurs in the country.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, told the Dewan Negara sitting Thursday although the government felt that the setting up of such a bank was not an urgent matter at this moment, the ministry would not rest until it became a reality.

"Actually, I have made several requests to the top leadership (Prime Minister) before, but I was told that right now, the government does not think that it is suitable to set up such a bank because the concept of business is a concept that is open to all.

"However, we will not give up the effort and will push ahead with the proposal to see the setting up of a women's bank," she said in reply to Senator Mumtaz Md Nawi, who had wanted to know whether the ministry was planning to set up a women's bank.

Shahrizat said from her observation, the setting up of a women's bank was vital as many businesswomen or those who were seeking loans were feeling uncomfortable when dealing with the existing banks which were probably "unfriendly" to women.

She said until the proposal became a reality, the ministry hoped Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) could play the role of a bank for female entrepreneurs.

When replying to Senator Ahmad Rusli Iberahim on the efforts taken by the government to increase the income of housewives, especially single mothers, Shahrizat said the ministry, through the Women Development Department, had implemented various initiatives, including the Women Skills Incubator Programme.

She said the programme offered an opportunity to those interested in entrepreneurship to be trained and guided in six fields, namely tailoring, beauty therapy, commercial food, handicraft, childcare and tourism.

"Between 2008 and 2010, a total of 1,699 skilled single mothers, 132 of whom were entrepreneurs, had managed to run a business from home or secured a job using the skills they obtained from the programme," she added.

-- BERNAMA

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