GOVT CONSIDERS EXTRA FOR MICRO CREDIT SCHEME

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- The government will consider increasing
the allocation for the micro credit scheme under its second economic stimulus
package or mini-budget, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said.

It will be considered and most probably under the second stimulus package,
he told reporters after chairing the Cabinet Committee on Indian Affairs at the
Parliament building here Monday.

"We can consider extra allocation for the micro credit programmes which will
provide benefit to all the races," he said.

Asked on the total allocation for the mini-budet or second economic stimulus
package, Najib said: "I cannot confirm anything. We will tell everything when
the time comes."

The deputy premier will present the mini budget in Parliament on March 10
where he will also announce the reviewed Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth
projection.

On November 4 last year, Najib, who is also Finance Minister, announced a
RM7 billion (US$2 billion) economic stimulus package to mitigate the effects of
the global economic slowdown.

On increasing the equity participation of Indians in the country's economic
pie, which now hovers around 1.2 per cent, Najib said it would need time to
be studied.
-- BERNAMA