KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — The Entrepreneur Development Ministry has no intention of redefining the age limit of youth to 30 years old for entrepreneurs who seek to participate in its development programmes.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof, said entrepreneurs should not worry about getting involved in development programmes organised by the ministry or related agencies.
He said it would also not affect the plans that had been made for entrepreneurs development programmes involving youths.
“Having an age limit of 30 or 35 years old will deny the entrepreneurs the opportunities for training. From the ministry’s perspective, the age limit of 30 years old as what is understood is based on the right for them to vote rather than for their participation in any entrepreneur training,” he told reporters after the prize-presentation ceremony here today for the SME Bank 90-Days Business Challenge 2019, an entrepreneurship competition for college students.
Last week, the Dewan Rakyat passed a bill to lower the youth age limit from 40 years old to 30.
Meanwhile, SME Bank group president and chief executive officer Aria Putera Ismail said two agencies under MED provided training services open to all groups, namely the National Entrepreneurship Institute (INSKEN) and Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research Sdn Bhd (CEDAR).
Earlier in his speech, he said the SME Bank 90-Days Biz Challenge was an extension of the SME Bank Y-Biz Challenge, a young entrepreneur innovation programme for secondary school students introduced in 2012.
“The winners were selected from 20 finalists made presentations on business implementation, including business management, finance and marketing,” he said. — Bernama
