State moves beyond financing to offer networking, market expansion and broader support
Johor government is in the final stages of crafting new initiatives to strengthen the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
State youth, sports, entrepreneur development and cooperatives committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said the measures would deliver broader, more meaningful support to entrepreneurs, going beyond financial assistance.
“We will soon be sharing bigger, more significant good news for Johor entrepreneurs, not only in terms of financing but also in development, networking and market expansion,” he said in his speech when attending the Dewan Teraju Usahawan Bumiputera Johor Hari Raya open house in Johor Baru.
The Larkin assemblyman indicated the initiatives were aimed at enhancing long-term business sustainability and growth.
Mohd Hairi also said the state government was mindful of current global uncertainties, particularly geopolitical tensions in the Middle East which contributed to fluctuations in global energy prices and disruptions in international supply chains.
“However, the state government, particularly under the entrepreneur development and cooperatives portfolio, remains attentive and is continuously working on suitable solutions,” he said.
Citing official statistics from the Statistics Department, Mohd Hairi said Johor’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) continued to show positive growth.
He said the number of MSMEs in the state increased from 124,837 in 2023 to 131,214 in 2024, with the growth rate rising from 11.3% to 12.1%.
“This shows that Johor’s MSME ecosystem is expanding,” he said, adding that 68.5% of the businesses were micro enterprises, 29.9% small and 1.6% medium-sized ones.
He stressed that the dominance of micro enterprises highlighted the need for targeted intervention approaches rather than broad, one-size-fits-all policies.
He highlighted that RM371.5mil was spent and coordinated across 42 agencies under the Johor Entrepreneur Development Council (MPUNJ) last year, benefitting 71,710 entrepreneurs through 349 programmes.
He assured that the state government remained committed to its core agenda of providing consistent financing and cash assistance to traders and entrepreneurs.
Mohd Hairi said he had continuously prioritised such support, including proposing the expansion of Bantuan Kasih Johor (BKJ) to include traders and entrepreneurs.
Despite current challenges, Johor continued to record the highest investment in the country, amounting to RM110bil last year, with 24,584 new job opportunities expected to be created, he noted.
“This is proof that Johor’s economy remains on a strong footing, with industrial activities continuing to expand.”
He also urged local entrepreneurs to capitalise on expanding economic opportunities, particularly through the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), to penetrate wider and international markets.
He said such developments would not only create jobs but also open up new market access for local entrepreneurs.
“This is about enabling local entrepreneurs to grow and reach a higher level,” he added.
Mohd Hairi stressed that the state government was committed to empowering entrepreneurship as a key economic driver.
“Through agencies such as MPUNJ and its strategic partners, various initiatives have been implemented, including financing schemes, capacity-building programmes, marketing platforms and digitalisation efforts.
“These initiatives are aligned with the Agenda Maju Johor 2030, which focuses on holistic economic development.”
He also affirmed that the state’s strategy was anchored in data-driven policy and targeted fiscal measures.
By bolstering value chains and securing high-calibre investment, the state government sought to accelerate economic transformation via the JS-SEZ and Agenda Maju Johor 2030, he added.
At the event, Mohd Hairi presented a RM100,000 allocation from the state government to Dewan Teraju Usahawan Bumiputera Johor president Datuk Ismail Karim.
