MELAKA, Sept 19 — The Portuguese community today urged the finance ministry to extend the privilige of investment in the Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) to the ‘Baba and Nyonya’ and the ‘Melaka Chitti’ communities under Budget 2016.
Melaka Pembela Representative for Melaka Minorities, Joseph Sta Maria said this was imperative as income derived from the special scheme would help the two communities in education and other aspects.
“The Babas and Nyonya and the Melaka Chitti communities deserve to be considered to be given this privilege for their ancestors had roots in Melaka for centuries,” he said in a statement e-mailed to Bernama here today.
He said the Malaysian Portuguese was privileged to invest in the Amanah Saham Nasional and then the ASB since 1984, through which many members of the community had benefitted tremendously.
“In this respect, I urge Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when tabling the coming budget to give serious consideration to enable or permit the Babas and Nyonya and the Melaka Chitti communities to participate in the scheme,” he added. — Bernama
