KUALA LUMPUR: MCA plans to launch a RM200mil special loan scheme for the lower income group to venture into business, irrespective of their race.
Its president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the scheme would be handled by the party’s cooperative – Kojadi – which has a five-star ranking from the Malaysian Cooperative Commission for good performance.
“I would like to suggest to the Prime Minister for the Government to set aside an additional RM200mil in capital fund to Kojadi for the scheme, which can help foster cooperation among the multi-ethnic small medium enterprises, retailers and hawkers.
“We (MCA) are confident that the Prime Minister will give due consideration for this pioneer project under the Medan Inovasi 1Malaysia,” he said at the opening of the 61st MCA annual general assembly here yesterday.
Kojadi, which has a good track record, was among the top 100 of the 11,000 cooperatives in the country, Liow said.
On a World Bank report that China was set to replace the United States as the world’s largest economy by the end of this year, Liow said MCA would be leading Malaysians of various races to tap into the country’s vast economic opportunities.
The value of China-Malaysian trade was at US$100bil (RM325.7bil) last year, said Liow, adding that this was expected to hit US$160bil (RM521.1bil) by 2017.
Liow also proposed for an entity – the 1Malaysia-China Corporation – to be set up to penetrate the Chinese market in collaboration with Government-linked companies.
“This entity will allow access to the lower income group to enjoy benefits in the form of equity or shares in the GLC or opportunities like employment,” he said.
He expressed his hope that similar entities could also be set up to explore markets in countries such as India, Middle East and Indonesia.
On another matter, the MCA president said the party would protest against any group challenging or questioning the status of Chinese education in Malaysia.
“The pressure to abolish Chinese primary schools will not help Barisan Nasional gain public support,” he cautioned.
Besides its very effective usage in the economic and educational sectors, Chinese, added Liow, was the second most used language in the world.
On education, Liow said MCA would apply to the Government to set up a hospital under Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) in Kampar.
It would be a research and teaching hospital for modern, traditional and complementary medicine, he said, adding that Utar, which was set up in 2001, was ready for it.
MCA, said Liow, would raise funds for the hospital, adding that it hoped the Government would provide the necessary assistance.
