Bank Rakyat Empowers RAKYATpreneur & UNIpreneur 2025: Adapting Technology & Digitalising Businesses

Bank Rakyat continues to empower the community of entrepreneurs and asnaf students through the organisation of the RAKYATpreneur and Bank Rakyat UNIpreneur program series for 2025. With an allocation of RM3.82 million, the program focuses on technology and digitalisation in business.

Both programs will run for six months, from August 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026. It will involve 800 potential entrepreneurs and asnaf students who will receive funding, training, and holistic guidance covering business capacity and resilience development, such as financial management and record keeping, marketing and sales, as well as technology adaptation and digitalisation of business operations.

Different from previous years, the program’s focus has been expanded to product development, packaging innovation, and the application of financial technology (fintech). Entrepreneurs are given access to the eBiz Tools Marketplace digital platform, which includes opening a Bank Rakyat Electronic Current Account-i (eCA-i), using the i-BizRAKYAT system, and free fintech solutions for three to six months under the supervision of fintech strategic partners.

According to the Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, YB Datuk Ewon Benedick, the RAKYATpreneur and Bank Rakyat UNIpreneur programs open a strategic space for entrepreneurs to master basic entrepreneurial skills, thereby building sustainable competitiveness and readiness to face current market challenges.

“The commitment from financial institutions like Bank Rakyat not only helps to improve the capabilities of asnaf entrepreneurs in building a stronger financial position but also contributes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that can transform and empower the national economy,” said YB Datuk Ewon during the Official Launch Ceremony of the RAKYATpreneur and Bank Rakyat UNIpreneur 2025 Program at Menara Kembar Bank Rakyat here, today.

He added that both programs have previously helped 2,633 entrepreneurs and asnaf students with a total contribution of RM13.04 million over more than four years of their organisation. “In 2024, 80% or 259 RAKYATpreneur and Bank Rakyat UNIpreneur entrepreneurs started saving sales consistently and 76% successfully provided job opportunities to the local community,” he stated.

He also expressed his support for the continuous implementation of this program as an innovative initiative that provides opportunities for entrepreneurs, especially from low-income groups, to leverage digital technology in business, thereby realising Malaysia’s vision as an inclusive and progressive developed nation under the MADANI Government.

Meanwhile, Bank Rakyat Chairman, Datuk Mohd Irwan Mohd Mubarak, said that both programs have evolved in phases since their introduction, starting with initial funding and the provision of basic entrepreneurship modules to digital marketing strategies, including the implementation of various other development programs specifically for RAKYATpreneur and Bank Rakyat UNIpreneur entrepreneurs.

“This includes the implementation of the RAKYAT Accelerator initiative, which brings a ‘Shark Tank’ concept to provide opportunities for potential alumni to obtain additional business funding, entrepreneurship development programs, and opportunities to participate in sales booths and exhibitions organised by the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP), Bank Negara Malaysia, and PROTÉGÉ to expand the potential and exposure of entrepreneurs,” added Datuk Irwan.

“Therefore, we hope that this initiative will help the 800 RAKYATpreneur and UNIpreneur entrepreneurs for this year to advance further in their business operations, compete among existing business brands, and thereby increase the marketability of their products and services,” he concluded.

Bank Rakyat also shared the success stories of participants from both programs who have created positive, sustainable, and inclusive impacts, such as RAKYATpreneur alumnus, Mr. Mohammad Zamzum Duhari, who has brought local products to the international level through participation in the 8th International Food Expo “Our Brand” in UFA, Russia, in collaboration with MATRADE. Currently, his products have penetrated the United Kingdom and Dubai markets.

Another proud achievement was made by Ms. Aina Syazwani Mohd Najib, a Bank Rakyat UNIpreneur participant from UIAM, who runs the Scrafrosie brand, producing headscarf arrangements in bouquet form using paper flowers. She was selected as a success story of the iTEKAD program by the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) in collaboration with Bank Negara Malaysia and has successfully opened her own physical store.

In addition, Mohd Nazim Rozlee, a Bank Rakyat UNIpreneur participant from Politeknik Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, a student of the Special Certificate Course in Catering Operations, is a person with speech and hearing disabilities (OKU). However, with extraordinary spirit, he now runs a business through a stall at Politeknik Kota Kinabalu named ‘Coffee Deaf’.

The official launch ceremony also brought together over 50 RAKYATpreneur and Bank Rakyat UNIpreneur entrepreneurs for a sustainable sale, offering a variety of products, including food and beverages, clothing and accessories, handicrafts, as well as beauty and health products.

Also read: Malaysians Spent RM707.9 Billion or RM1,735/Mth on Online Shopping in 2024, 36.7% of the Country’s GDP