KUANTAN: Datuk Seri R. Ramanan has received the Darjah Kebesaran Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang Yang Amat Di Mulia - Peringkat Pertama Sri Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang (SSAP), which carries the title "Datuk Seri".
The Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, presented the award at the investiture ceremony in conjunction with the 65th birthday of the Sultan at Balai Mahkota, Istana Abdulaziz, here on Thursday (Sept 12).
The Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister was among the 27 individuals who received the SSAP award.
"I would like to express my deepest gratitude to His Royal Highness for the award," he told reporters.
Appointed as Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives during the Cabinet reshuffle in December 2023, Ramanan, 43, is known for his dedication to empowering the nation's economy, including the Indian community, in line with the vision and mission of the Madani government through various initiatives.
The Sungai Buloh MP, who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy information chief I, has spearheaded three special initiatives to enhance the economic standing of Indian entrepreneurs in the country.
These special initiatives include the SPUMI Goes Big financing scheme through Tekun Nasional, which allocates RM30mil in funds; the Prosperity, Empowerment, and A New Normal (PENN) programme under Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, with RM50mil specifically for empowering Indian women; and the Bank Rakyat Indian Entrepreneur Financing-i (BRIEF-i).
"Of course, if we look at the current development of the Indian community, it is very promising (and) we have many initiatives in place. (However, there is) much more that needs to be done, but so far, we can see that the Madani government has implemented many programmes for the community.
"(Among them are) financing, assistance to help the community expand their businesses through economic development. Mitra (Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit) is also running welfare programmes such as healthcare and education aid, so it's truly an all-rounded effort, not just limited to economic support," he said.
The commitment of the Kuala Lumpur-born leader to empowering the Indian community is evident, as he previously served as chairman of Mitra's special committee, effectively fulfilling his duties.
This includes successfully utilising the RM100mil allocated to Mitra under Budget 2023 for various development and socio-economic empowerment programmes for the Indian community, benefiting over 100,000 people.
Furthermore, under Ramanan's leadership, Mitra has also received an official rating of "low risk" from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for 2023.
This accomplishment stems from Ramanan's success in restoring Mitra's image in just five months, thanks to his firm leadership and the implementation of several drastic reforms, rebuilding the Indian community's trust in the agency. – Bernama
