Expand Business Horizon, M'sian PM's Wife Rosmah Tells Women Entrepreneurs

KOTA BAHARU (Kelantan, Malaysia,) March 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime minister's wife, Rosmah Mansor, has advised women, who want to succeed in business, to expand their business horizons, instead of restricting themselves to women's needs. She said women entrepreneurs should dare to venture into new markets such as information technology, health and daily goods. "If women entrepreneurs continue to remain in traditional businesses, they must find a niche within a market to ensure continuous demand for their products," she said at a tea reception for Kelantan state businesswomen hosted by the Malaysian Malay Entrepreneurs and Merchants' Association (Perdasama) here Tuesday. Rosmah (second from right) said women entrepreneurs should be smart in overcoming challenges and searching for areas to drive their business forward. "Recognising reality and challenges faced by businesswomen, we should be proud as the government has implemented various measures to provide avenues for women to succeed in business. "For example, SME Corp, in cooperation with government agencies have provided various platforms to enable women to go into business such as Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, which has extended financial aid to more than 200,000 women entrepreneurs since its inception in 1987," she said. Rosmah said to ensure business sustainability, traders and entrepreneurs need to change their attitude and thinking, come up with cunning ways in spotting opportunities, not being easily despaired by failures and must always be ready to identify potentials. She said 16 per cent of 86,000 businesses owned by women in the country was in the small and medium scale enterprise. "The uniqueness of Kelantan is that women are dominant in business. They are the prime mover of economic activities. This proves that Kelantan's women are resilient, patient and resolute in striving for a better life," she said. At the function, NR Chemical and Organic Industry (M) Sdn Bhd director Ramzan Razali was named successful male entrepreneur while Vida Beauty Sdn Bhd CEO Dr Harmiza Othman, successful female entrepreneur. Present were International Trade and Industry Ministry secretary-general Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, Kelantan Federal Development Department director Makhtar Mustafa, Perdasama president Moehamad Izat Emir (left) and Kelantan Perdasama president Aishah Mahmood (right). (photoBERNAMA) MALAYSIA