Local -
• SME News
|
SME Corporation To Intensify Efforts To Turn SMEs Into Better Business Players
KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 (Bernama)-- SME CorporationMalaysia (SME Corp) will intensify efforts in ensuring small-and medium-scaleenterprises (SMEs) to become better business players locally andinternationally.
Chief Executive Officer Datuk Hafsah Hashim said the 10thMalaysia Plan was a good roadmap for Malaysia to realise the targets set in theNew Economic Model to achieve Vision 2020.
"I am pleased with the government's aspiration tofocus on innovation and creativity as part of elevating the quality of SMEproducts and services," she told Bernama Thursday.
The government will allocate an additional RM3 billion tothe RM7 billion Working Capital Guarantee Scheme to enhance access to financingfor SMEs under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
The scheme was created under the stimulus package in 2008to assist companies during the economic slowdown.
With financial assistance, advisory services andtraining, at least 16,000 SMEs will upgrade their business and improve theirstar rating under the SME Competitive Rating for Enhancement (SCORE) systemduring the 10MP period.
Hafsah said SME Corp Malaysia will have all the tracksand impacts of the programmes reported annually to the National SME DevelopmentCouncil chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysiapresident Datuk Syed Amin Al-Jeffri said the additional allocation for theWorking Capital Guarantee Scheme was still not enough and hoped the governmentwould add a further RM3 billion during the Mid-Term Review of the 10MP.
He said the fund was inadequate as SMEs represented thebiggest sector in business with registered enterprises nearing one million.
He also hoped the credit facility allocation through SMEand Agro Bank would be increased as the current outreach was not comprehensive.
Syed Amin also wanted the credit facility to be expandedto general businesses and not only to projects identified by the government.
"I want to congratulate and thank the Prime Minister and on behalf of the MalayChamber and the Bumiputera Business and Industrial Community (BCIC), we pledgeto work together with the government in its efforts to realise its objectivetowards strengthening SMEs," he added.-- BERNAMA
