MELAKA: Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) has lodged police reports against three entities that are using the corporation's name in offering dubious loans and investment schemes to members of the public.
Speaking at the launch of the PUNB Melaka branch here today, its chairman Tan Sri Mohd Ali Rustam expressed regret over the misuse of the corporation's brand to offer illegitimate loans through social media, including the recently surfaced fraudulent Kongsi Makan investment scheme.
"Over the past two months, PUNB has lodged three police reports involving the misuse of PUNB's name, logo and acronym.
"First was the Facebook account under the name ‘PINJAMAN PUNB'. Second was a cooperative using the name ‘KPUNB’. These two entities offered personal, wedding and business loans.
"The recent one involved Kongsi Makan that offered investment schemes using the franchise concept and manipulated PUNB's name in their company's activity.
"I must emphasise that PUNB has no involvement with the three entities which I have mentioned, and if they have cheated you, please lodge a police report and engage a lawyer to charge them in court. If you cannot afford a lawyer, report the incident to Pembela BN and they will appoint a lawyer for you," he said.
Also present was PUNB chief executive officer Datuk Azhar Ahmad and Maybank Islamic Berhad deputy chief executive officer Nor Shahrizan Sulaiman.
Ali Rustam reminded Bumiputera entrepreneurs to cross-check with PUNB on dubious moneylending schemes to avoid being scammed.
He also advised those interested in PUNB schemes to avoid dealing with agents, but to go through PUNB’s respective branches.
"I wish to remind the public that we have not hired agents to offer loans and they are not allowed to collect commissions.
“If our officers ask you for commissions, please report them to the police,” he said.
He also advised those seeking loans from PUNB to be wary of parties using names of officials and to verify with the officials in question.
At the event, PUNB also signed a memorandum of understanding with Maybank Islamic Berhad to offer a new financial scheme to assist Bumiputera in the purchase of properties under the SME PUNB Property Financing-i.
"This is because the ownership of shophouses amongst Bumiputera in the country is low, at only five per cent, and we want more to be done to assist them.
"Under the scheme, Bumiputera can own properties such as shophouses, shoplots and shop offices where they are only required to fork out five per cent of the value of the property (between RM500,000 and RM2.5 million) within a 20-year repayment period.
"This scheme is very special because it provides up to a 25% guarantee of the property financing amount to Maybank or a maximum guarantee of RM250,000, whichever is lower.
"This allows PUNB to serve as a credit enhancer for Bumiputera entrepreneurs, allowing banks to increase the financing margin to 95% without them having to pay a higher deposit," he said.
Earlier, Ali Rustam launched PUNB's 12th office in Taman MITC Prima here, the second PUNB office in Melaka after its first branch in UTC Melaka in Hang Tuah.
This is to assist in speedier loan application for Bumiputera entrepreneurs.
"We want to ensure that we are able to assist all eligible Bumiputera in all levels of the supply chain, from the upstream (manufacturing), midstream (supply and distribution) and downstream (consumer) levels," said Azhar.