Agencies from abolished ministry get new `homes'

Agencies under the abolished Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry will be absorbed into eight ministries, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said.
He said the move was to ensure that the main roles and functions played by the abolished ministry would continuously be given attention by the government, particularly efforts to create a Bumiputera commercial and industrial community.
It is also aimed at expanding and expediting Bumiputera involvement in the nation's economic development, opening up new growth areas and strengthening cooperatives, he said in a statement.
Najib announced that under the new line-up:

* Franchise development and promotion and vendor development programme had been transferred to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry;

* Cooperative development, the Cooperatives Commission of Malaysia and Cooperative College of Malaysia had also been placed under the ministry's jurisdiction;

* Development of the Bumiputera industrial and trade community, National Entrepreneur Institute and the SME Bank would come under the purview of the International Trade and Industry Ministry;

* Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board would report to the Prime Minister's Department;

* Contractors' Services Centre would be transferred to the Works Ministry;

* State Economic Development Corporations, Urban Development Authority, Perbadanan Nasional Berhad and Bank Rakyat would report to the Finance Ministry;

* Majlis Amanah Rakyat was re-assigned to the Rural and Regional Development Ministry;

* Universiti Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia-Japan University had been transferred to the Higher Education Ministry; and,

* Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usahawan Niaga (Tekun) would be under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry.