KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 (Bernama) -- Agrobank in collaboration with Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (MAIWP) and Ezka Food Resources launched “Program Keusahawanan Asnaf – Jom Sate”, an entrepreneurship programme to provide opportunity for asnaf to start a satay business.
This collaboration aims to develop entrepreneurship spirit and skills among selected asnaf in the Federal Territory as an effort to improve their social economy status, especially in facing economic challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dato’ Mustapha Buang, Chairman of Agrobank said, the process to develop satay business start-up for the selected eight (8) individuals in this programme has been simplified by providing them with financial assistance and supports from the three (3) collaborative parties, Agrobank, MAIWP and Ezka Food Resources.
“Through this programme, the entrepreneurs from the asnaf community will receive zakat assistance and business training. The support includes the process of purchasing of satay-making equipments and raw material as satay sticks and marinate ingredients, to ensure the entrepreneur can immediately start their business and gradually improve their livelihoods,” he said during the official launch of “Program Keusahawanan Asnaf – Jom Sate” held virtually on FB Live Agrobank today.
“This collaboration is in line with our goal at Agrobank to focus on programmes which are aimed at supporting the unserved and underserved communities and further improve the socio-economic status of B40 groups,” he added.
Moving forward, Agrobank is planning to expand the initiative with the involvement of other partners like Department of Social Welfare Malaysia, mosque communities and also Agrobank’s existing customers as its strategic partners besides expanding the scope of business under the programme.
“Through this strategic collaboration, we hope it will be able to create sustenance opportunities for the asnaf communities. Agrobank believes that the responsibility to assist and help the less fortunate should not solely rest on the Government and that the private sector too needs to support community initiatives,” he said.
“Program Keusahawanan Asnaf Agrobank” provides an overall business knowledge and training programme with Technical Know-How and Business Best Practices mobilisation, through the latest business techniques and strategy information.
This programme is the second initiative by Agrobank, as part of its zakat distribution efforts for the asnaf community and it involves a few other parties under this strategic and structured programme.
“Program Keusahawanan Asnaf Agrobank” was first launched in 2019 under Bomb Burger Programme, a collaboration with Institut Profesional Baitulmal (IPB) and Alma Processing Trading Sdn Bhd. A total of 47 asnaf have been provided with business training skills through an online marketing module involving participants from education institutions like UMT and IPB.
ABOUT AGROBANK Agrobank is a leader in agriculture financing and values-based banking based (VBI)* in Malaysia. Established in 1969, Agrobank is actively involved in charting the growth and development of Malaysia’s agriculture industry by offering shariah compliant products and solutions across various customer segments including corporate, commercial, consumer, trade finance and micro financing customers. Agrobank is a full-fledged Islamic bank since 1st July 2015.
As a market driven, customer-centric DFI (Development Financial Institution) with a primary focus on strengthening the agriculture sector in Malaysia, Agrobank strikes an equal balance to its developmental and commercial roles to benefit the agriculture sector. Agrobank provides a comprehensive repertoire of financing solutions for the agriculture community; that includes upstream activities related to primary food and commodities-based agriculture activities to downstream activities such as processing, marketing and distribution of agricultural products.
Agrobank also offers retail banking financing solutions to improve the well-being of the agriculture community. This is done through its network of 192 customer touch points including 138 branches, 1 agro banking, 1 virtual banking, 10 commercial financing centre, 34 kiosk, 8 agro corners & agro point.
In 2019, Agrobank celebrates its golden jubilee Anniversary, as it marks 50 years of its proud establishment developing the agro industry.
www.agrobank.com.my * VBI or value-based intermediation is an initiative by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) which aims to improve the products and services offered by Islamic financial institutions towards a better facilitation of entrepreneurship, community well-being, sustainable environment and economic growth, without compromising on shareholders’ returns. Issued by Strategic Communications Department, Agrobank
FB LIVE Agrobank (time code - 41:30)
https://fb.watch/41pQKwZCMl/SOURCE: Bank Pertanian Malaysia Berhad (Agrobank)FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:Name: Shahreen Rahim
Section Head of Public Relations, Strategic Communications Department, Agrobank
Tel: 03-2731 1600 (ext 1660) / +6012 943 6217
Email: shahreen.rahim@agrobank.com.my
Name: Rasheffa Rashid
Executive, Public Relations, Strategic Communications Department, Agrobank
Tel: 03-2731 1600 (ext 1650) / +019 272 9907
Email: rasheffa@agrobank.com.my
--BERNAMA 
