KOTA BHARU, June 19 — SME Corp has disbursed RM5.63 billion in grants and loans to 43,094 small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) nationwide as of May 31 this year, said Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Ahmad Maslan.

He said the amount was disbursed via various programmes such as the Bumiputera Enterprise Enhancement Programme, Bumiputera Export Promotion Programme and Bumiputera Youth Entrepreneurial Programme.

"This is part of SME Corp’s ongoing effort to achieve the nation’s target set for entrepreneurs,” Ahmad said.

Ahmad said this to reporters after attending the Kelantan Entrepreneurs Casual Chat Programme here today.

He said there were 645,136 SME entrepreneurs nationwide, adding that efforts were being made to increase the number of Bumiputera entrepreneurs as they only owned 37 per cent of SME companies in the country.

"Right now there are 38,064 SMEs in Kelantan, 92 per cent of which are micro-businesses with less than five workers, and less than RM300,000 in sales per annum,” he said, adding that he hoped the micro-businesses in Kelantan would be able to upgrade themselves to achieve the small entrepreneurs status.

Ahmad said the ministry would also help the state’s entrepreneurs affected by issues such as financing, marketing, lack of fresh water supply, increase in operational costs and the monsoon floods.

"I hope SME entrepreneurs would take advantage of the assistance provided through various government agencies,” he said. — Bernama