MINDEF TO AWARD GRANTS TO 200 MAF VETERAN ENTREPRENEURS THIS YEAR

MUAR, June 22 (Bernama) — The Defence Ministry (Mindef) aims to channel ‘Sokongan Pengukuhan Keusahawanan Luar Bandar’ (SPKLB) support grants to 200 Armed Forces veteran entrepreneurs this year.

Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari said SPKLB is a collaboration between Mindef, through the Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (Perhebat) and the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW), through Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA).

“We have selected veterans, who are entrepreneurs in various fields, to receive the SPKLB assistance grant from KKDW, amounting to RM5,000 each,” he told reporters after the ‘Pemerkasaan Usahawan Veteran ATM’ (PUVET ATM) programme here today. 

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Adly said entrepreneurship is a focus for Mindef because nearly 80 per cent of participants who undergo courses at Perhebat before retiring from the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) choose the field. 

However, he noted that Mindef is also collaborating with the Human Resources Ministry and other ministries to provide new income opportunities besides entrepreneurship for military veterans.

Earlier, Adly presented the SPKLB grant to 20 MAF veteran entrepreneurs in Johor.

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Through PUVET ATM, veterans also benefit from business matching, direct access to entrepreneurial incentives such as facilities, training and consultancy in aspects of packaging, branding and marketing.

The programme focuses on empowering veterans in their second careers, particularly in entrepreneurship, to help those in the B40 group improve their living standards.

PUVET ATM also acts as a facilitator and connector to identify and channel entrepreneurial incentives, including expert services, facilities, grants and training required by MAF veteran entrepreneurs to advance their businesses.

-- BERNAMA