NEWLY appointed Deputy Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Ramanan Ramakrishnan is still special committee chairman of the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra).

“Status quo for now,” he told the media when asked to comment on his role in Mitra, after scanning his timecard at the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry today as a symbolic start to his official duties there.

Ramanan, who is also Sungai Buloh MP, was appointed Mitra chairman in April by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Yesterday, Anwar announced Ramanan would be number two in the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry, replacing Saraswathy Kandasami, who is now deputy national unity minister.

Ramanan said he was briefed on his ministry’s 2023 achievements and agenda and 2024 aspirations, and has committed to creating a holistic ecosystem for Malaysian entrepreneurs.

Among the 2024 aspirations were to increase the participation of micro, small, and medium enterprises in high-impact industries to strengthen domestic supply chains and global value chains, and to enhance the capacity and capabilities of entrepreneurs to be more resilient and progressive.

Ramanan said he would hold talks with Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Ewon Benedick on ways to develop a larger community of entrepreneurs. – Bernama, December 13, 2023.