ID :
119286
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 09:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/119286
The shortlink copeid
MALAYSIAN "DASH" THRILLED TO MEET OBAMA AT ENTREPRENEUR SUMMIT
By Salmy Hashim
WASHINGTON, April 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysian entrepreneur Dhakshinamoorthy "Dash" Balakrishnan, who started his financial consulting firm at the age of 26 18 years ago, is thrilled to be here to network with other entrepreneurs from majority-Muslim nations, but more excited to have a "souvenir picture" with President Barack Obama who was rushing off for another meeting.
The Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, a promise by the President in
his Cairo speech to engage Muslim communities worldwide, was well-received here
by more than 200 entrepreneurs from Muslim-majority nations.
Four Malaysians were selected -- Mohd Nadzmi Salleh, Chairman of
Proton Holdings Bhd, Tony Fernandes, Founder and CEO of AirAsia Bhd, K. Kabilan,
Editor of Free Malaysia Today, and Dash.
Only Dash and Kabilan turned up for the two-day event which closed here
Tuesday.
Dash, who founded Warisan Global, which specialises in giving financial
advice for new entrepreneurs, told Bernama he planned to connect with women
groups, rural communities and the government to create an enterprising culture
in Malaysia.
"We motivate, strategise, conceptualise, execute and push Malaysian
entrepreneurs to be globally competitive with help from MDeC (Multimedia
Development Corporation) and Cradle, Malaysian government agencies.
"My dream is to launch an online media to connect our entrepreneurs to other
entrepreneurs globally so that they can learn from each other and help each
other to become successful," he said.
One of the panelists at the summit, Founder of Grameen Bank, Muhammad Yunus,
from Bangladesh, told Bernama that the bank which continued to give micro loans
to individually-owned businesses without collateral stood strong with a 99 per
cent payment rate while bigger banks collapsed during the credit crunch.
Malaysia was the first country to adopt the Grameen Bank idea by creating
Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia to help small businesses run by women, he said.
Today, Grameen Bank in Bangladesh has eight million borrowers, 97 per cent
of the borrowers are women, and it lends US$100 million a month to borrowers
without requiring collateral, while the payment rate is 98 per cent.
"Most important, the bank is owned by borrowers," he said.
New York-based Grameen America is more than two years old and lends an
average of US$1,500 each to 3,000 immigrant women with skills but who have lost
their jobs.
There are other similar banks in Omaha, Nebraska, and more will be opened in
Washington and San Francisco.
To expand on the Summit, the State Department's Bureau of Education and
Cultural Affairs (ECA) has forged partnerships with Business for Diplomatic
Action and Entrepreneurs Organisation to expand exchange programmes and pursue
new opportunities in entrepreneurship and innovation.
Under the new ECA programme, 25 entrepreneurs from countries with
significant Muslim population will be brought to the US a year over the next
four years for educational seminars, mentorship and first-hand experience in the
business place with American entrepreneurs.
The ECA will also work with the private sector to send 100 American
entrepreneurs abroad over the next four years.
-- BERNAMA
WASHINGTON, April 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysian entrepreneur Dhakshinamoorthy "Dash" Balakrishnan, who started his financial consulting firm at the age of 26 18 years ago, is thrilled to be here to network with other entrepreneurs from majority-Muslim nations, but more excited to have a "souvenir picture" with President Barack Obama who was rushing off for another meeting.
The Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, a promise by the President in
his Cairo speech to engage Muslim communities worldwide, was well-received here
by more than 200 entrepreneurs from Muslim-majority nations.
Four Malaysians were selected -- Mohd Nadzmi Salleh, Chairman of
Proton Holdings Bhd, Tony Fernandes, Founder and CEO of AirAsia Bhd, K. Kabilan,
Editor of Free Malaysia Today, and Dash.
Only Dash and Kabilan turned up for the two-day event which closed here
Tuesday.
Dash, who founded Warisan Global, which specialises in giving financial
advice for new entrepreneurs, told Bernama he planned to connect with women
groups, rural communities and the government to create an enterprising culture
in Malaysia.
"We motivate, strategise, conceptualise, execute and push Malaysian
entrepreneurs to be globally competitive with help from MDeC (Multimedia
Development Corporation) and Cradle, Malaysian government agencies.
"My dream is to launch an online media to connect our entrepreneurs to other
entrepreneurs globally so that they can learn from each other and help each
other to become successful," he said.
One of the panelists at the summit, Founder of Grameen Bank, Muhammad Yunus,
from Bangladesh, told Bernama that the bank which continued to give micro loans
to individually-owned businesses without collateral stood strong with a 99 per
cent payment rate while bigger banks collapsed during the credit crunch.
Malaysia was the first country to adopt the Grameen Bank idea by creating
Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia to help small businesses run by women, he said.
Today, Grameen Bank in Bangladesh has eight million borrowers, 97 per cent
of the borrowers are women, and it lends US$100 million a month to borrowers
without requiring collateral, while the payment rate is 98 per cent.
"Most important, the bank is owned by borrowers," he said.
New York-based Grameen America is more than two years old and lends an
average of US$1,500 each to 3,000 immigrant women with skills but who have lost
their jobs.
There are other similar banks in Omaha, Nebraska, and more will be opened in
Washington and San Francisco.
To expand on the Summit, the State Department's Bureau of Education and
Cultural Affairs (ECA) has forged partnerships with Business for Diplomatic
Action and Entrepreneurs Organisation to expand exchange programmes and pursue
new opportunities in entrepreneurship and innovation.
Under the new ECA programme, 25 entrepreneurs from countries with
significant Muslim population will be brought to the US a year over the next
four years for educational seminars, mentorship and first-hand experience in the
business place with American entrepreneurs.
The ECA will also work with the private sector to send 100 American
entrepreneurs abroad over the next four years.
-- BERNAMA
