In a definitive move to empower the Malaysian small and medium enterprise (SME) community and strengthen the foundation for sustainable growth, the Star Outstanding Business Awards (SOBA) 2026 council convened for a roundtable discussion at Menara Star on June 23.
Under this year’s theme, “Powering tomorrow: driving sustainable growth,” the discussion focused on helping businesses transition from the survival strategies of 2024 and the scaling goals of 2025 towards a future of practical, sustainable resilience.
Focus areas for resilience
Through intensive dialogue, the council explored several key themes shaping the next wave of SME success, including:
> Mastering proactive cash flow: Amid rising operational costs, fuel adjustments and currency fluctuations, the council highlighted the importance of early financial management. The discussion highlighted that SMEs could leverage neutral advisors, banking and government schemes to protect margins.
> Human capital as a growth engine: Retaining top-tier talent in 2026 requires transforming the workplace to compete with multinational counterparts. Strategic five-year career mapping and internship-to-hire pipelines were raised as critical tools to secure future leaders.
> Practical AI implementation: Shifting from brainstorming to active deployment, discussions centred on utilising AI for tangible gains in sales data analytics, operational efficiency and physical automation, balanced with the personalised human touch of homegrown brands.
> Sourcing strategy diversification: To mitigate geopolitical risks and supply chain shocks, the council suggested that SMEs look beyond traditional low-cost hubs and embrace Asean as an alternative ecosystem for sourcing and export expansion.
A network for growth
The roundtable underscored that SOBA is more than an awards platform; it is a thriving ecosystem where ambitious founders connect with partners, suppliers and mentors to scale toward the first RM10mil milestone and beyond.
The event was well-attended by SOBA 2026 sponsors, including Credit Guarantee Corp Malaysia Bhd chief business officer Sean Tan, RHB Bank
group corporate and business banking managing director Wendy Ting, PKT Logistics Group Sdn Bhd chief executive officer and managing director Datuk Seri Dr Michael Tio and Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation deputy chief executive officer (export acceleration) S. Jai Shankar.
Elite judges in attendance include Kuala Lumpur Malay Chamber of Commerce president Ahmad Hussein Tajuddin, Malaysia Entrepreneurs’ Development Association president Datuk Dr Teh Tai Yong, Branding Association of Malaysia president Michelle Hah, deputy president Datuk Jennifer Ong and deputy honorary treasurer Datin Winnie Loo, alongside Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) vice president Datuk Vincent Choo.
Lending their expertise as SOBA 2026 ambassadors are ICE Holidays Sdn Bhd managing director Mita Lim, Kanika (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Vinnie Ang, Mega Fortris Group chief executive officer Datuk Adrian Ng, Nippon Sushi chief executive officer Siti Noraini Nuawi, PhytoGaia Sdn Bhd vice president Bryan See and WYNKIDS Education Group founder and chief executive officer Elwin Goh.
Other members of the SOBA 2026 council include U Mobile Sdn Bhd chief business officer How Lih Ren, Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia treasurer Datuk Koong Lin Loong and PhytoGaia Sdn Bhd advisor WH Leong.
Look out for the launch of SOBA Next-Wave, a new initiative featuring exclusive mentorship pairings that connect SOBA judges and past winners with selected entrepreneurs to elevate their award submissions and supercharge business growth.
SOBA 2026 is now for open for submission. For details, call the SOBA hotline at 017-2311789 or visit https://soba.com.my/.
