PUTRAJAYA, April 21 (Bernama) -- A total of 400 Bumiputera small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be groomed to become exporters by 2020 under Bumiputera Export Promotion Programme, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said the government remained committed to ensuring a continued capacity building among Bumiputera entrepreneurs and manufacturers so that they could compete abroad.

The programme would be carried out in collaboration by SME Corp Malaysia (SME Corp) and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), he said.

"The participants will be provided with an integrated aid package which includes financial assistance and other components such as packaging, certification and quality system management, as well as, product innovation and development," he told reporters after chairing Bumiputera Economic Council meeting here Thursday.

In a statement here, SME Corp said, the programme could create a network among Bumiputera SMEs, which would enable them to benefit from opportunities offered by Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and ASEAN Economic Community.

It said potential entrepreneurs would also be exposed to the needs of certain markets.

"The Bumiputera business associations and chambers of commerce will assist in the monitoring of the companies to ensure the objective of the programme is achieved," it said.

The programme was supported by eight Bumiputera business associations and chambers of commerce, it added.

-- BERNAMA