KUCHING, March 31 — The Sarawak food supply chain committee has appointed Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and AgroBank Malaysia as agencies for the Sarawak Micro Credit Scheme, its chairman Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said today.
He said the B40 group, petty traders and small-medium enterprises (SMEs), which have been suffering due to the movement control order (MCO), can apply for soft loans from the scheme through the two agencies from tomorrow.
He said application forms can be obtained from the websites of the state ministry of international trade and industry, industrial terminal and entrepreneur development, SEDC and AgroBank.
“In view of the enforcement of the MCO, the applications can also be made online.
“The scheme is divided into two categories, the first category is for loans of between RM1,000 and RM10,000 without any interest charged while the second category is for loans of up to RM50,000 with 2 per cent interest charged,” he told reporters after chairing the food supply chain committee meeting here.
Awang Tengah, who is also the deputy chief minister, said a sum of RM20 million has been allocated for the scheme under the financial aid package announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg on March 20.
He added the amount is in addition to the RM30 million which was allocated under the state Budget 2020.
He said the state government is aware that SMEs are the backbone or the main catalysts of the national economic development in the country, including Sarawak, where about 98 per cent of the industries are SMEs.
“At the same time, SMEs also contribute significantly to the workforce in the country and Sarawak,” he added.
He said the financial aid package of RM20 million allocated under the Sarawak Micro Credit Scheme is aimed to lighten the burden of SMEs in facing the MCO.
