KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob declared today Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) a success after the government Bumiputera empowerment agency helped one million Malays set up businesses.

He said Mara has created 1.2 million in human capital and helped one million people from the community become entrepreneurs, contributing to 30 per cent of the country’s work force today.

“This shows that Mara is success and I am confident it will only grow stronger by helping more Malays or Bumiputera in the country,” he told reporters after attending a Muslim prayer session here.

The prayer session, also attended by 1,000 Mara students and staff, was to commemorate the agency’s 50th anniversary.