Selangor Journal
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi chairs the National Entrepreneur and SME Development Council 2/2024 at the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry in Putrajaya on May 14, 2024. — Picture via FACEBOOK/ZAHID HAMIDI

Govt gives RM15.11 bln for entrepreneurship programmes this year — Zahid

PUTRAJAYA, May 14 — The government has allocated RM15.11 billion to implement 270 entrepreneurship programmes for this year, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the allocation reported through the SME Integrated Plan of Action (SMEIPA) 2023/2024 will be used by 479,350 recipients.

He said all programmes were planned by various ministries, agencies and state governments.

“I see the existing SMEIPA reporting needs to be strengthened so it can be used as the main reference by all stakeholders, especially ministries and agencies that are in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, so there is no more overlap in the implementation of MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) programmes throughout country,” he said.

Zahid said this in a statement after chairing a meeting of the National Entrepreneur and SME Development Council (NESDC) 2/2024.

He said in the same report, an average of 191 entrepreneurship and MSME development programmes were implemented every year with an annual commitment of RM9.6 billion.

“In 2023 alone, RM15.48 billion was spent on 258 entrepreneurship and MSME development programmes,” said Zahid, who is also NESDC chairman.

Zahid said the meeting agreed the MSME Status Registration System should be integrated with other main systems such as PADU, the Companies Commission of Malaysia database, and GovTech Malaysia.

“This is to increase synergy between ministries and agencies and further improve the government’s delivery system, especially in entrepreneurship development,” he said.

He said the MSME Status Registration System is aimed at improving coordination of the entrepreneur development programme implemented by SME Corp Malaysia, in ensuring the programmes carried out are more targeted at entrepreneurs and MSME while avoiding leakage.

He said the meeting confirmed the addition of existing members to strengthen cooperation between ministries in empowering MSME development in the country.

He said the increase in membership involved the secretaries-general of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW) and Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI), apart from the Finance Ministry, Economy Ministry and Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development Ministry.

“I believe the involvement of KKDW and MITI in the NESDC will enable a more integrated alignment and coordination for all entrepreneur development programmes and MSMEs in particular to penetrate the global market and expand access to rural areas,” he said.

He also suggested all ministries and agencies ensure the entrepreneur development agenda is implemented comprehensively and integrated, as it is important to avoid duplication of programmes and create good transparency in government services, as well as reduce wastage of government resources.

— Bernama

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