MARA Celebrates 55th Anniversary

Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) celebrated its 55th Anniversary on March 1 – riding through a journey developing and assisting more than one million Bumiputera entrepreneurs since its establishment in 1966.

An agency under the aegis of the Ministry of Rural Development, MARA focuses on the development of Bumiputera human capital, comprising entrepreneurship, education, investment, and management services aspects.

The theme of this year’s celebrations, held virtual, is “Upgrading Trust in Facing Future Challenges”.

Mara Chairman YB Dato Hajah Azizah Binti Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd Dun, in her speech to the MARA community which was broadcasted live via Facebook and other social media platforms, said: It gives me great pleasure in inviting all Mara staff, subsidiary and MARA community in celebrating the 55th Anniversary of MARA throughout the country.”
“This year’s celebrations are far different than previous years following the challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic in our country. It is held under the new normal and in adherence to the SOP guidelines. I would like to invite the MARA community to appreciate the contribution of MARA in fulfilling the aspiration and agenda of the Bumiputera community in every economic and education sector,” added Dato Hajah Azizah.

Since 1966, MARA has developed and assisted a total of 1,189,555 Bumiputera entrepreneurs.

In a statement issued in conjunction with its anniversary, MARA said the institution with the role of a socio-economic engineering agency has shaped various transformations in Bumiputera’s entrepreneurship and education.

“The entrepreneurship programmes and facilities offered, which consist of training, financing, and business premises, are always in high demands from entrepreneurs,” the statement read

In the education field, MARA, through the MARA Junior Science College (MRSM), continues to make strides towards internationalisation through dual-certification programmes which offer Cambridge and national curriculums through the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE).
“MARA also provides a complete ecosystem for programmes under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in producing innovative and competitive human capital.

MARA’s TVET has now grown 53 years of age and has produced 649,338 graduates with a marketability rate of 91 percent.

Meanwhile, MARA’s education financing programme, which was established in 1966, has benefited an estimated 1.4 million students including 51,054 students sponsored in 2020.