Economy Ministry to re-evaluate Teraju's effectiveness

 

PARLIAMENT | The effectiveness of the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju) to manage the bumiputera agenda will be re-examined as the government allocations were not fully channelled to the target groups.

Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said the agency and bumiputera agendas have always received attention from the government with an allocation of RM135 million for 2023.

“The ministry is examining with the equity division in the Economy Ministry and Teraju so that we can reevaluate its effectiveness because it gets a huge allocation from year to year.

‘’Part of the allocation can be ‘paid off’ in its administration. It’s given allocations of RM100 million, RM200 million, but what went to the recipients was much less.

“Hence, I’m not commenting further on Teraju, not because we do not prioritise the bumiputera (agenda) but want to ensure this matter does not recur,” he added.

Rafizi said this during the winding up debate on the Supply Bill 2023 at the committee level for the Economy Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Teraju was established in 2011 under the Prime Minister’s Department. Its role is to spearhead, drive and coordinate the bumiputera development agenda, aimed at increasing the community’s share in the nation’s economy.

Among the initiatives under the agency are the Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Startup Scheme, Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development Fund and the Bumiputera Prosperity Fund.

Developing sugar cane industry

Meanwhile, Rafizi said the local sugar cane industry will be developed to help meet the nation’s demand for sugar.

He said that the country is entirely dependent on importing raw sugar from Brazil following the closure of the sugarcane plantation in Chuping, Perlis, in 2012.

The government is identifying land parcels of up to 405ha in North Perak for this purpose, he added.

“All of the country’s raw sugar is being imported, and when there are price increases or issues with currency and oil (prices), freight costs will be high.

“Therefore, there is a need for us to plant sugarcane, and the government will arrange for the (logistics) chain to ensure planters will have ready buyers,” he explained.

The country’s sugar demand is met by the national refined sugar producer MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd.

Its refined sugar production has reached 2.05 tonnes a year and meets 60 percent of domestic market needs.

- Bernama