Image credit: The Edge
KUANTAN, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PERNAS), an agency under the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry (KUSKOP), aims to assist more local franchises to enter international markets in the future, its chairman Datuk Hazimah Zainuddin said.
The agency arranges various activities and programmes annually to help entrepreneurs with the potential to achieve that goal, he added.
"For instance, Sate Zul Recipe Sdn Bhd has already expanded abroad, to Brunei and Singapore, in line with PERNAS’ aspirations that we not only want to have ‘jaguh kampung’.
"Franchises, no matter big or small, if they’re just stalls or kiosks, it’s fine. When they are ready in terms of products, we will help them from various angles such as marketing, branding and packaging to take them abroad,” he said at a media conference after the launch of the 2024 Pahang Bizfrancais programme here today, which was also attended by Pahang Felda, Cooperatives and Entrepreneur Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Amizar Abu Adam.
He also said that currently around 10 per cent of 1,295 local franchises, including Laundry Bar and MarryBrown, have successfully expanded to international markets.
"We have worked with SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) to make this programme a success and we expect 10 more franchises that we’ve identified to enter international markets this year,” he said.
Meanwhile, Amizar welcomed PERNAS’ efforts to boost the economic growth in all three East Coast states, including Pahang, through franchises.
"I’m given to understand that PERNAS has provided RM46 million in financing to entrepreneurs, with 212 companies developed through PERNAS financing and training since 2010.
"This year, KUSKOP, through PERNAS, aims to provide a potential RM4 million in financing to shore up the franchise industry in the East Coast with the involvement of 300 participants,” he said, adding that 93 applications for all financing schemes, with an approved total of RM18 million, had been received by Pahang since 2010.
The 2024 Pahang BizFrancais programme is the third location of the series this year, following Sarawak and Penang.
Source: https://www.bernama.com/en/general/news.php/news.php?id=2325155