BSN's interest-free personal loan increased up to RM10,000 for flood victims

KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) will now provide interest-free personal financing facility of up to RM10,000 to flood victims instead of up to RM5,000 announced last week.

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said RM100 million is allocated for this purpose to ease the burden of flood victims to buy equipment and home furnishings destroyed during recent disasters.

"The moratorium for the first six months on the payment of monthly instalments is open to flood victims nationwide," he said in a statement today.

This initiative through BSN was first announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Dec 22, 2021, as an initiative to ease the burden of flood victims.

The Prime Minister also announced that loan repayment assistance for flood victims for housing and property loans, vehicle loans, credit cards, as well as personal loans for up to six months. Among the facilities include deferment or reduction of instalment repayment.

Besides BSN, Ismail Sabri said TEKUN Nasional has set aside a fund of RM30 million for flood relief loans for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affected by floods.

"For loans of up to RM10,000, no interest rate is charged and a moratorium on repayment is given for 12 months," he added.

-- BERNAMA

Halal Business: Scaling success without sacrificing ethics

Southeast Asia's startup ecosystem is booming, but a shift is underway. While traditional models priorities rapid scaling and revenue growth, a new wave of entrepreneurs is focused on building ethical, sustainable business that align with community values, especially halal principles. Discover how startups can balance revenue pressures with ethical integrity and understanding the role of accelerator program in guiding these ventures and local dynamics that can support businesses grow sustainably with Managing Partner, HASAN.VC, Umar Munshi.

Tinjauan 2025: Peranan aktif belia mencorak dasar ekonomi, sosial

Menurut United Nations Youth Office, 1.9 bilion belia berusia 10 hingga 24 tahun, ini merupakan generasi belia terbesar dalam sejarah, memberi peluang besar untuk mereka memimpin perubahan. Namun, suara mereka sering terpinggir, dengan kurang dari 3 peratus penggubal dasar berusia bawah 30 tahun dan kurang dari 1 peratus wanita muda dalam politik. Dalam konteks ini, bagaimana Malaysia boleh mengambil pendekatan proaktif bagi memperkasa belia untuk memainkan peranan penting dalam membentuk dasar ekonomi dan sosial negara?

Framing sustainable business as a gift for the future

Reflecting on 2024, businesses can turn key learnings into actionable steps to make sustainability a central part of their plans for the year ahead. Hoe can businesses can integrate sustainability into daily operations, making it a consistent driver of growth and positive change. Together with Associate Consultant at Tata Consultancy Services, Wan Dazriq explores on forward-thinking strategies for a sustainable and innovative 2025.