Image credit: The Edge Markets
BERA: The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an inevitable surge in the use of digital technologies to boost micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) allowing them to remain resilient, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the pandemic which restricted movements had taught entrepreneurs the importance of embracing digitisation, and those who were not tech-savvy appeared to have been left behind.
"To help MSMEs brace the impact of the pandemic, the government in the 2022 Budget had focused on providing incentives to encourage more MSMEs to adopt digital technology. About RM25 million was allocated to the Halal Development Corporation while about RM200 million was set aside under the SME Digitalisation Grant Scheme with RM50 million earmarked for Bumiputera micro-entrepreneurs in rural areas.
"I hope Keluarga Malaysia MSMEs will seize the opportunity to utilise the resources available to switch from conventional business method to online to help accelerate the economic recovery," he said.
He said this in his speech when opening the national-level MSMEs digitalisation empowerment programme at the Bera district council convention hall here today.
Ismail Sabri, who is the Bera member of parliament, said until the third quarter of 2021, more than 200,000 MSMEs have utilised e-commerce and 2,759 of them have exported their products and ventured into new markets.
"We are now able to witness how technology has improved the income and livelihood of entrepreneurs involved in MSMEs. Even in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), one of the main focuses is to support the growth of all economic sectors particularly to accelerate the transformation of MSMEs.
"Under the 12MP, MSMEs are expected to contribute 45 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and 25 per cent of the total export in 2025. In the wake of the rapid growth of the digital economy globally, Malaysia must continue to strive forward to achieve a high-income country status which is centered around digitisation," he said.
Also present were Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/11/747380/digitalisation-programmes-will-assist-msmes-post-covid-19-recovery-says