KUCHING: The listing of two Sarawak-based companies on Bursa Malaysia this year has signalled the state’s Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs) are ready to step onto bigger stages, said Datuk Malcom Mussen Lamoh.
The Deputy Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment noted that Reach Ten Holdings Berhad and Hartanah Kenyalang Berhad had successfully joined the exchange in 2025, reflecting the evolving ambitions of Sarawak’s business community.
“Sarawak has more than 74,000 SMEs, representing 6.8 per cent of total SMEs in Malaysia.
The recent listings of Sarawak-based companies mark an important starting point for SMEs that are growth-ready and well-prepared for expansion to compete on national and global levels,” he said at the IPO Readiness and Tax Insights Conference at Riverside Majestic Hotel here yesterday.
He stressed that the IPO pathway is a strategic enabler aligned with the state’s Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, providing SMEs with access to capital markets, the ability to scale operations, and the capacity to create jobs, strengthen supply chains and drive sustainable growth.
Nationally, he noted that SMEs make up almost 97 per cent of business establishments, contributing 39.5 per cent to GDP and employing 48.7 per cent of the workforce in 2024.
“They also accounted for 12.7 per cent of Malaysia’s exports last year,” he added.
Furthermore, he said that Bursa Malaysia has reinforced its role as ASEAN’s leading exchange, hosting 55 IPOs in 2024 and maintaining its lead in listings and funds raised in the first eight months of 2025.
On August 1, he said, it welcomed UMS Integration Limited as the first Singapore-listed company to secure a secondary listing on the Malaysian exchange.
Mussen said Sarawak’s SMEs remain resilient in the face of global uncertainties and must continue to adapt, innovate and pursue opportunities in capital markets.
He added that the IPO Readiness and Tax Insights Conference, which gathered industry leaders and financial experts, provides a timely platform to help SMEs strengthen governance, meet investor expectations and prepare for growth.
“These programmes empower local enterprises to become catalysts for economic transformation.
I urge more such efforts to be organised in Sarawak to support SMEs, enabling them to go beyond their shores, compete globally, and contribute meaningfully to the region’s resilience.
I am confident that today’s conference will serve as a springboard for SME growth and success, inspiring bold steps toward long-term impact,” he said.
