JOHOR BAHRU, June 7 — The Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (Kuskop), through SME Corp Malaysia, has launched an industry and business support programme (Sinar) to assist micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Its minister, Steven Sim Chee Keong, said the Sinar programme offers financial assistance totalling RM205 million through four new initiatives for MSMEs nationwide to help expand their businesses. 

“In the face of global economic uncertainty, the government cannot allow MSMEs to confront these challenges alone. Through Sinar, we aim to ensure that entrepreneurs have access to the financing and support they need to survive, grow, and create employment opportunities,” he added.

He was speaking to reporters at the closing ceremony of the Empowering Malaysian Businesses Carnival at the Angsana Johor Bahru Mall today. Also present were Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development, Datuk Mohamad Alamin, and Kuskop Secretary-General, Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud.

Elaborating further, he said Sinar is a new Kuskop programme implemented through SME Corp Malaysia, encompassing five new initiatives involving financial assistance.

According to him, three financing programmes are being offered with funding of up to RM5 million at profit or interest rates ranging from 3 per cent to 5 per cent per annum through collaborations with Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Bhd (MIDF), microLEAP PLT, and Funding Societies.

“In addition to financing, the Inclusive Business Scaling Programme is a capacity-building initiative that provides grants of up to 90 per cent for SMEs. This is aimed at integrating inclusive communities into their supply chains and helping micro-enterprises develop relevant skills to transform their businesses to a higher level,” he said.

To facilitate access to these initiatives, he added that MSMEs applying for financing only need to obtain MSME Status, an official certification confirming that a business meets the MSME definition. 

A 50 per cent discount on MSME Status applications is being offered from this month until Aug 31. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — The Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development (Kuskop) is stepping up efforts to accelerate the internationalisation of Malaysian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), with a particular focus on expanding their presence in the East Asian market, especially Japan.

In a statement today, Kuskop said the initiative is taken through the participation of its minister, Steven Sim Chee Keong, in the official working visit of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to Tokyo, which begins today and runs until June 10.

The ministry said the visit is expected to create new opportunities for Malaysian MSMEs in trade, investment and access to international markets in Japan.

As part of the programme, Kuskop, together with Bank Rakyat, will organise the Bank Rakyat BizMatch: Make Malaysian Businesses Great initiative in conjunction with the Nikkei Forum Future of Asia 2026, one of the region’s most influential economic forums.

The programme will bring together Malaysian and Japanese entrepreneurs to explore new avenues for trade, investment and business collaboration, while building on the success of Kuskop’s existing MSME internationalisation initiatives.

Kuskop highlighted the strong performance of Malaysian companies at FOODEX Japan 2026 in Tokyo, where 31 Malaysian companies and cooperatives generated total sales worth RM350.8 million, comprising RM318.9 million in potential sales and RM31.9 million in actual sales.

The achievement significantly exceeded the initial target of RM80 million in potential sales. The participation also resulted in the signing of four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and two memorandums of agreement (MoAs) between Malaysian companies and international business partners.

According to Sim,  the achievement demonstrated the strong competitiveness of Malaysian products and businesses in the global marketplace.

“The success proves that Malaysian products and enterprises can compete at the highest level internationally. Our next challenge is to help more local companies expand beyond domestic borders and establish a stronger regional and global presence,” he said.

Sim added that the Japan visit is part of Kuskop’s ongoing efforts to open up new market opportunities, expand business networks and attract strategic partnerships that can benefit Malaysian entrepreneurs.

“As global companies assess investment and collaboration opportunities across the region, we want Malaysian MSMEs to be part of those conversations. This will help them gain access to technology, new markets and strategic partnerships that can elevate their growth to the next level,” he said.

During the visit, Sim is scheduled to accompany the Prime Minister in a series of engagements with Japanese industry leaders and major corporations, as well as participate in regional economic forums involving government leaders, investors and business communities from across Asia.

MSMEs account for 96.1 per cent of all businesses in Malaysia, contribute 39.5 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and recorded exports worth RM196.8 billion in 2024. — Bernama