KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — Agrobank says it is constantly working to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and ensure that they can generate better income especially when the global and local markets are severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Agrobank covering president and chief executive officer Khadijah Iskandar said 70 per cent of the agricultural development bank’s branches are located in rural areas to facilitate communication and consultation between SME entrepreneurs and Agrobank officers on business and cash flow management.
“This is part of our initiatives to ensure more of our customers continue to succeed in their agribusiness,” she said during a special dialogue entitled “Dialog SME Sarawak”, held recently in conjunction with Agrobank SME Month.
Among the panellists at the session were Sarawak Entrepreneur and SME Development assistant minister Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais and GrasiCili founder Munir Ashim Abdullah.
Khadijah said Agrobank also welcomed the recent announcement by Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee on financial relief amounting to RM350 million via the Micro Credit Scheme Fund for agropreneurs affected by Covid-19.
“The injection of these funds will help SMEs and at the same time allow them to plan their businesses during the moratorium period,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the government has implemented three “Sarawakku Sayang” special aid packages with 28 types of assistance including for SMEs with a total allocation of RM2.55 billion.
“The special assistance provided to SMEs includes exemption of permit fees and business licences under local authorities and several other agencies, six-month postponement of payments, and waiver of profit rate payments for small and medium-sized industries and micro credit in Sarawak,” he said.
Awang Tengah, who is also Sarawak International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Minister, added that the state government had also set up a Sarawak Economic Action Council to promote long-term economic development in Sarawak. — Bernama
