MSMEs Must Scale Up Their Operations, Productivity To Offer Higher Wages - Akmal Nasrullah
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) must scale up their business operations and improve productivity, creating demand for higher skilled workers and providing better-paying jobs, said Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
He said the focus should now shift from the quantity to the quality of financing provided to MSMEs to ensure that businesses are able to grow and remain competitive.
“The presentation by the World Bank today pointed to the need to move beyond focusing on the quantity of financing but instead to look at the quality of funds channeled to MSMEs.
“In terms of access to funds, for Malaysia it seems good. But the real issue is the quality of the funds being given out, because it is not just about them getting credit but how our firms can remain competitive at the global level, especially to achieve higher productivity, which will translate into higher wages and quality jobs,” he said.
The minister was speaking to reporters after the launch of the October 2026 Malaysia Economic Monitor, “From Quantity to Quality: Financing Malaysia’s Productive SMEs”, here today.
-- BERNAMA