Labuan: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S Devamany urged the Labuan Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LICCI) and MIC here to convince Indian school leavers not to be stereotyped as job seekers but look at other options available to them.He said school leavers who had completed their degrees, diplomas or certificates already had the basic qualifications to become entrepreneurs, so they should broaden their perspective and tap the opportunities made available by the Government.During an hour-long dialogue with LICCI led by its Chairman Datuk Dahlif Singh and Labuan MIC led by Datuk Ramasamy Rengasmay, Devamany, who is MIC Deputy President, said the Government has set aside millions of ringgit to assist people in starting up businesses.
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These include the National Tekun Fund (for entrepreneurs) and "Seed" fund through which loans were available on easy terms for start-up businesses. He said being in the PM's Department he could provide assistance to the Chamber or MIC on members' loan applications.
"If there is a need, we could even place an Indian official in the Tekun office in Labuan and Kota Kinabalu for this purpose," he said.Devamany urged young graduates to join politics for a better understanding of the ruling government's policies.
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"Politics could help give them the necessary exposure."Other matters highlighted during the meeting related to government grants for Hindu temples and Guruduwaras.
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Dahlif disclosed that he and LICCI Secretary Sri Ram had been invited by the National Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for a business meeting with their counterparts in New Dehli on April 1.
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He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najb Tun Razak would be present at the business-matching meeting."We feel it is an honour that Labuan had been included and we would do our part to promote Labuan," he said. - Sohan Das