00:00Last week, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made an important social media post about the struggles faced by micro, small and
00:07medium enterprises, MSMEs.
00:10In his neighborhood, a Nasi Lamat seller opens her stall at 5 a.m. every day.
00:15She works tirelessly, but rising ingredient costs make each day harder.
00:21Workshop owners face growing diesel bills.
00:24Family businesses that have served their communities for generations now wonder if they should stay open.
00:31As Anwar highlighted, when global oil prices rise, the pain doesn't begin in the boardrooms of multinational corporations.
00:39It strikes at street level, hitting small businesses, the backbone of local communities.
00:47MSMEs employ 8.1 million Malaysians, nearly half the workforce, and contribute 35.9% of GDP.
00:55Protecting them is not corporate welfare.
00:58It is about safeguarding families and the foundations of the economy.
01:03The government has signaled that it is listening.
01:07Through the National Economic Action Council, policies are being shaped with direct engagement.
01:12Under the 13th Malaysia Plan, the target is ambitious.
01:17Grow medium-sized enterprises from 1.6% to 5% of all MSMEs by 2030.
01:25Support includes R$117 million for targeted MSME programs, R$53 million for digital and AI adoption,
01:33R$500 million in soft loans for businesses affected by global trade tensions,
01:38R$34.9 billion in SME financing via Bank Negara,
01:43R$60 million to help SMEs expand exports to Africa, Central Asia, and Latin America.
01:49Other ministries are stepping in too, from tourism transport support to low-cost financing packages for entrepreneurs.
01:58Yet, many of these measures rely on loans and credit.
02:02For micro-entrepreneurs already operating on razor-thin margins, more debt is not the answer.
02:09What they want is direct cost relief, lower taxes, fewer compliance costs, and reduced overheads.
02:16Simple, effective measures that keep businesses alive without drowning them in paperwork.
02:24Malaysia's MSMEs are not asking for handouts.
02:27What they want is a fair chance.
02:30Because when small businesses thrive, communities thrive.
02:34And when communities thrive, the nation grows stronger.
02:39Read Geoffrey Williams' opinion.
02:41MSMEs need more help, not more debt.
02:44Only on FMT.
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