KUALA LUMPUR – The government has allocated RM9.8 billion in financing through six key institutions to broaden and streamline access to microcredit for hawkers and small-scale entrepreneurs across the country, said Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong.
He said the significant allocation is intended to ensure that small traders are not excluded from sustainable capital support needed to expand their businesses, Bernama reported.
“This visit can provide a morale boost to the institutions involved, and we can also explore ways to enable more small hawkers to gain access to microfinancing,” he told reporters after attending the “Mikro Kredit Turun Padang” programme at the Dataran Puchong Permai Farmers’ Market on Saturday.
According to Liew, the Finance Ministry (MOF) is actively collecting direct feedback from grassroots traders to be escalated to the highest level for consideration.
“MOF will consider the feedback, and we hope it can be submitted to the Prime Minister for consideration during the budget process,” he said.
To date, 12 hawkers at the Dataran Puchong Permai Farmers’ Market have received financing approvals, involving seven recipients from Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, three from Bank Simpanan Nasional and two from Agrobank.
Six agencies are involved in providing advisory support and facilitating direct applications, namely Bank Rakyat, Companies Commission of Malaysia, TEKUN Nasional, and Majlis Amanah Rakyat, alongside BSN, Agrobank and Bank Rakyat.
The “Mikro Kredit Turun Padang” initiative is a government effort to bring financing agencies directly to small business communities, improving accessibility to funding and advisory services.
The Puchong programme follows earlier sessions held at the Taman Melawati Farmers’ Market, Kelana Jaya Farmers’ Market and Bandar Tasik Permaisuri Farmers’ Market. – June 21, 2026