KUALA LUMPUR: High-potential Malaysian SMEs could soon be selling on Alibaba's Tmall and Taobao platforms under a pilot programme being explored to help local businesses hold their own against foreign-owned competitors, says Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin.
Mohamad said the idea came out of a ministry delegation's visit to the Alibaba Centre in Guangzhou on Sept 3.
The ministry is also looking at using platforms such as Daraz to reach markets in South Asia, he said.
"Among cooperation that is being explored includes a pilot program to bring local high-potential SMEs to Tmall and Taobao for the Chinese market, as well as plans to capitalise on platforms such as Daraz for the South Asia Market.
"SME Corp is also due to sign a memorandum of understanding with Lazada Malaysia on Oct 15 at the E50 conference to help local SMEs sell more online," he said.
Mohamad was replying to Fong Kui Lun (PH-Bukit Bintang) during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 6).
Fong had asked how far foreign-owned businesses were hurting local SMEs, and what the government was doing to give them priority in premises, financing, procurement, licensing and markets.
Mohamad said the ministry kept watch on the pressures facing local SMEs, including competition from foreign-owned firms.
Malaysia runs an open economy with a wide network of free trade agreements, and foreign investors and entrepreneurs can do business here as long as they follow the law, he said.
Mohamad said nearly RM10bil in financing has gone to about 270,000 entrepreneurs as of August, with another RM11.5mil set aside for vendor development.
"To help SMEs sell abroad this year, SME Corp approved RM2.5mil for eight businesses under PKS@Akses, while SME Bank's Business Export Programme 3.0 provided RM2.3mil to 18 companies," he added.
He also said a separate RM6mil programme to take halal entrepreneurs international has helped 200 of them.
On premises, Mohamad said UDA Holdings Bhd has a RM18.5mil Malaysian Entrepreneur Hub and has developed 200 Tamu Desa sites in Sabah and Sarawak since 2024.
"Licensing is also being made easier, with 45 types of licences now available online through the Business Licensing Electronic Support System," he added.
Mohamad also cited the SME Corp 2026 SME Survey, which found that among businesses in its programmes, the share of foreign workers fell from 15.9% to 14.8%.
"Local headcount at those firms grew 13.2% after joining, against 4.1% for foreign workers," he added.
