KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has announced that an allocation of RM15.11 billion has been set aside to implement 270 entrepreneurship programmes nationwide this year.
As the Chairman of the National Entrepreneurship Development Council and SME Masterplan Committee, he said that this allocation will benefit approximately 479,350 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
According to the Integrated SME Masterplan Action Plan (SMEIPA) 2023–2024 report, a total of 270 entrepreneurship programmes have been planned through the involvement of 10 ministries, 58 agencies, and eight state governments in entrepreneurship development.
“Based on the report, an average of 191 entrepreneurship programmes and MSME development initiatives have been implemented annually, with a total annual commitment of RM9.6 billion.
“In 2023 alone, a total of RM15.48 billion was spent to implement 258 entrepreneurship programmes and MSME development,” he said in a media statement.
Ahmad Zahid chaired the 1st National Entrepreneurship Development Council and SME Masterplan Secretariat Meeting for 2024 at the Ministry of Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP) today.
Also present were Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Ewon Benedick, Secretary General of KUSKOP Dato’ Seri Suriani Ahmad, and representatives from ministries, department heads, and agencies involved in entrepreneurship programmes.
Ahmad Zahid emphasised the need to strengthen the existing SMEIPA report to serve as the main reference for all stakeholders, especially ministries and agencies within the entrepreneurship ecosystem, to avoid any duplication of MSME programme implementation nationwide.
He also stressed that in order to enhance the coordination of entrepreneurship development programmes, SME Corp. Malaysia has implemented the MSME Status Registration System to ensure that programmes are more targeted towards entrepreneurs and MSMEs, thereby enhancing their growth.
