Zahid (second from right) and Ewon (centre) touring the displays of MSME products at SME Corp headquarters after the meeting on Aug 13. – BERNAMApic
KUALA LUMPUR: All state governments, ministries and agencies involved in entrepreneurship initiatives and the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) must report the achievements of their programmes, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said these reports should be submitted to the SME Integrated Plan of Action (SMEIPA).
He noted that there are currently 40 MSME entrepreneurship and development programmes, involving a total of RM32.8bil, that have yet to report on their achievements.
"This reporting should include assessments of key performance indicators (KPIs), covering output, outcomes and resource allocation.
"It is crucial to minimise duplication among agencies and reduce government resource wastage,” said Ahmad Zahid, who is also chairs the National Entrepreneur and SME Development Council.
He was speaking at a press conference after the secretariat meeting of the National Entrepreneurs and MSME Development Council at SME Corp Malaysia headquarters here on Tuesday (Aug 13).
Also present were Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick, his deputy Datuk R. Ramanan, SME Corp Malaysia chief executive officer Rizal Nainy and Statistics Department chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin
Ahmad Zahid said that as of the middle of this year, 286 initiatives and MSME programmes with allocations amounting to RM15.06bil had been reported in SMEIPA, a 10.8% increase over the corresponding year-ago period.
He said coordination of MSME programmes has significantly impacted the sector, noting a positive development in the transition from micro to small and from small to medium enterprises last year.
Specifically, there was a 16.9% decrease in the number of micro enterprises, totalling 767,421, while small enterprises increased by 35.8% and medium-sized enterprises rose by 7.9%, he added.
"This progress is supported by the efforts of ministries and agencies, including SME Corp.
"We aim to continue fostering entrepreneurship, particularly in rural and suburban areas,” Ahmad Zahid said.
On Budget 2025, he indicated that the country’s financial planning for the upcoming year will be pragmatic, with a focus on creating a balanced budget.
For his ministry, he said the focus is not only on infrastructure development in rural areas but also on generating significant local economic impact. – Bernama
