Ahmad Zahid (second right) presenting the letter of appointment to Wan Rosdy, flanked by Ewon (right) and his deputy Datuk Seri R. Ramanan. – BERNAMApic
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Entrepreneur and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Council has agreed to establish a National Anti-Corruption Strategy for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the programme is aimed at increasing awareness among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on the importance of ethical practices and integrity in business.
"The programme'implementation mechanism is being scrutinised by a Special Task Force headed by the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry (Kuskop) to ensure its implementation provides optimal impact and benefits to entrepreneurs,” he said in a statement after chairing the council's first meeting for the year here on Tuesday (Oct 21).
He said that one of the recommendations that was agreed upon to be scrutinised under the Special Task Force is the creation of an initiative called the SME National Anti-Corruption Strategy to uphold the success of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2024-2028.
The implementation of the SME National Anti-Corruption Strategy Action Plan is led by Kuskop and SME Corporation Malaysia, as well as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), with full technical support from the National Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC)
Ahmad Zahid said the meeting also agreed to use artificial intelligence (AI) as a key platform to help SMEs expedite and enhance the cost-effectiveness of implementing anti-corruption programmes and related activities, in addition to developing a strategic business model.
He said that through the presentation of the Entrepreneurship Financing Scheme and Guidance Programme Paper for 2025 by State, the meeting was also told that RM7.96bil in financing had been channelled to 282,489 entrepreneurs and cooperatives nationwide as of Sept 30.
"For the same period, a total of 121,599 cooperative entrepreneurs and members have received entrepreneurship guidance through various programmes implemented by agencies under Kuskop,” he said.
He added that a total of 345 MSME entrepreneurship and development programmes have been carried out this year, with an allocation of RM30.31bil through the SME Integrated Plan of Action Reporting, which benefits 609,000 recipients.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the Securities Commission announced that 15 of the 36 initiatives under the Roadmap to Speed Up Access for MSMEs and Mid-Capital Companies (MTC) to the Capital Market (2024-2028) recorded an implementation rate of 42%, exceeding the average annual target of 20% as of Sept 30.
"The meeting also agreed that the Securities Commission continues to promote the capital market to increase awareness and participation among MSMEs and MTCs.
"This includes forging strategic collaborations to expand access to capital markets and increasing the channelling of funds, including sharing MSME and MTC data by ministries and agencies," he added.
Ahmad Zahid said efforts to empower entrepreneurs need to be enhanced, as 71% of the 1.089 million Malaysians involved in entrepreneurship are micro entrepreneurs.
He added that the number of entrepreneurs transitioning to higher levels, namely from micro to small and small to medium, needed to be boosted so that their production and services could increase the value of the gross domestic product (GDP) and export value.
According to him, MSMEs have contributed RM636bil in terms of export volume and could increase the figure in the future.
"Those involved in our country's employment sector from MSMEs amount to 371,000 people. This can be increased because our approach is through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses and also entrepreneurship courses,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid added that, as the National Halal Council chairman, he will bring up the issue of halal certification to the council's meeting to facilitate the process for entrepreneurs.
"Many entrepreneurs tell us that it's quite difficult to obtain halal certification, and I happen to chair the National Halal Council.
"I will bring it up at the council meeting so that there is a joint effort by different agencies of ministries, but the goal remains to make it easier and not more difficult,” he said.
Earlier, Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail received the appointment letter as the MSME development council's special adviser at the meeting, which was also attended by Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick.
Ahmad Zahid said Wan Rosdy is tasked with being the liaison between the MSME development council and state government executive councillors responsible for entrepreneurship, and improving development in the field at the national and state levels. – Bernama
