Most Read
Most Commented
mk-logo
News
Keep SME Corp in Miti, gov't urged
Published:  Aug 14, 2018 7:04 AM
Updated: 11:49 PM

The Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia (Samenta) has urged the government to keep SME Corp and other agencies under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (Miti).

It expressed concern over plans to place agencies such as SME Corp and SME Bank under the purview of the Entrepreneur Development Ministry.

“The current arrangement of placing SME Corp and the National SME Development Council within Miti has enabled seamless coordination within the Miti community.

“Among the main points of SME is that of market access and capacity-building. Having SME Corp placed along with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) and Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) within Miti would help ensure a unified policy playbook for SMEs.

“Above all else, policy certainty and continuity are important,” Samenta vice-chairperson William Ng said in a statement yesterday.

On July 27, The Edge reported that the Entrepreneur Development Ministry is in discussion with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to take over the jurisdiction of some government agencies, such as Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara).

The report quoted Deputy Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohamad Hatta Ramli as saying that he could not rule out that the new ministry would also take over agencies such as Tekun Nasional, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia and SME Corp, as well as cooperatives.

"The final decision will depend on the prime minister. We will also be waiting for some allocation to kick-start the operation of the new ministry," Hatta was quoted as saying.

ADS