BY NUR ATIQAH QURATULAINI
MORE than 5,300 Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Sarawak have received financial assistance totalling RM118.09 million from the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment (MINTRED).
Deputy Premier and MINTRED Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said his ministry was offering various financial assistance such as Graduan Ke Arah Keusahawanan (GERAK), Usahawan Teknikal dan Vokasional (USTEV), Go Digital Programme, Sarawak Micro Credit Scheme (SKMS) and Skim Pinjaman Industri Kecil dan Sederhana (SPIKS) to empower MSMEs.
“Additionally, more than 110,000 MSMEs have also benefited from the various entrepreneurship programmes offered by other agencies,” he said when delivering his Ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today (May 15).
Awang Tengah added that MINTRED was collaborating with InvestSarawak, the United Nations Global Compact Network for Malaysia & Brunei and Alliance Bank to provide RM1 billion in green financing facilities.
This is to help MSMEs to overcome challenges in adopting environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) principles into their operations.
“To date, RM150 million has been disbursed to 172 SMEs. This financial facility provides preferential banking incentives to participating Sarawakian SMEs that demonstrate improvement in sustainable business practices,” he said.
He assured that his ministry would continue to enhance the resiliency and competitiveness of MSMEs toward a more sustainable and inclusive economy.
“We will improve the MSMEs’ access to green financing opportunities for lower borrowing costs and favourable terms.
“By 2030, the digital economy is expected to contribute approximately 20 per cent to Sarawak’s gross domestic product, in which 80 percent of MSMEs will adopt digitalisation,” he said.
