Sunday, September 30, 2012

SMEs laud RM1b additional fund

KUALA LUMPUR: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are excited with the additional RM1 billion fund under the SME Development Scheme.

The fund, which will be managed by the SME Bank, is to facilitate SMEs' access to financing to help develop their businesses.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak proposed the RM1 billion fund when tabling 2013 Budget yesterday.

Industry players said the move will help the SMEs as well as entrepreneurs seek financial backing to start up a business.
Source from (Business Times): http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/SEMEI/Article/ Published: September 30, 2012

Group publisher of SME Magazine, William Ng, said for SMEs, it is a mixed basket of spot-on incentives and missed opportunities.

"The RM1 billion additional fund for SMEs is welcome, in addition to the RM350 million fund for entrepreneurs of all races in the retail sector," he said.

However, Ng said that from an SME perspective, the govern-ment could have offered more incentives. "While more financing is good, for many SMEs, especially those with the right business model, financing has never been the main concern.

"The real challenge today is the intensifying competition and shortage of skilled workers. Unfortunately, there was nothing on this in the Budget," he said.

Ng, who is also editor-in-chief of SME Magazine said that other initiatives like the Young Entre-preneurs Fund with a RM100,000 cap and two percentage point interest rate subsidy was proof that the government is serious in promoting the SME sector.

Vice-president and general manager for Groupon Southeast Asia and India, Joel Neoh Eu-Jin, also lauded the RM1 billion SME fund. "This will greatly assist Malaysian entre-preneurs to continue to build on their business portfolios."

More initiatives should be rolled out by the Malaysian government to recognise e-commerce as a viable, extensive and profitable business segment, he added.

Young Entrepreneurs Association (GMB Malaysia) president Agil Faisal Ahmad Fadzil told Business Times that the fund should be able to alleviate financing issues faced by some small and medium enterprises. "This is sensitive to the needs of these SMEs ... What is important is for the implementor to share the same sentiment as the government as delivery is crucial."

Government allocates RM1b to develop SME businesses

Source from (The Malaysian Insider): http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/government-allocates-rm1b-to-develop-sme-business/

Published: September 30, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — One billion ringgit will be provided under the SME Development Scheme to be managed by the SME Bank, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced today.

The measure will help small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) gain access to further financing to develop their businesses.

In tabling the 2013 Budget, he said the SME Bank, with the cooperation of the Islamic Development Bank, will provide RM200 million to the Halal Industry Fund to finance the working capital of participating SMEs.

Najib said Perbadanan Nasional Bhd would also provide soft loans to hawkers and small businesses of up to RM25,000 for licensees and RM500,000 for licensors to modernise their operation.

This programme will provide guidance and advisory services on new business concepts such as mobile shops, kiosks and online businesses.

The prime minister also proposed a group insurance coverage scheme for hawkers and owners of small business registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia.

“The scheme will provide maximum coverage of up to RM5,000. For the first time, the government will finance this scheme with an allocation of RM16 million a year,” he said.

Currently, there are 1.5 million hawkers and small businesses operating traditionally and without a fixed income. — Bernama

BSN Kelantan perluas program galak ejen berdaftar

Source from (Sinar Online): http://www.sinarharian.com.my/bisnes/bsn-kelantan-perluas-program-galak-ejen-berdaftar-1.90190

Published: September 30, 2012

KOTA BHARU - Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) Kelantan akan memperluaskan program menggalakkan premis tumpuan awam, terutama kedai runcit menjadi Ejen Bank Berdaftar dengan institusi kewangan itu.
  
Pengarah BSN Cawangan Kelantan Mohd Azian Abu Samah berkata langkah itu sejajar dengan matlamat bank itu sebagai bank komuniti yang memberi penekanan kepada masyarakat setempat.
  
Beliau berkata, sejak diperkenalkan Jun lepas, bank berkenaan kini mempunyai 148 ejen berdaftar di seluruh Kelantan dengan merekodkan lebih 91,000 transaksi yang bernilai lebih RM7.97 juta.
  
Bercakap kepada pemberita selepas majlis perasmian Program Ejen Bank Berdaftar Bersama Komuniti di Kedai Runcit Padang Sakar di sini hari ini, Mohd Azian berkata jumlah itu adalah sebahagian daripada 4,000 Ejen Berdaftar Bank itu di seluruh negara (Malaysia) yang disasarkan sehingga akhir tahun ini.
  
Beliau berkata transaksi melalui Ejen Bank Berdaftar itu dijalankan di premis dengan menggunakan peralatan titik jualan (POS) yang dilengkapi dengan GPRS tanpa wayar.
  
"Antara perkhidmatan yang disediakan pada peringkat permulaan ialah perkhidmatan deposit, pengeluaran, pembayaran bil setempat, pembelian sijil Simpanan Premium (SSP) dan pembayaran tanpa tunai," katanya.
  
Mohd Azian berkata BSN akan terus progresif untuk memperkasakan inisiatif rangkuman kewangan untuk segenap lapisan masyarakat dan sentiasa komited untuk memberi perkhidmatan yang lebih cekap dan berkualiti kepada pelanggan dan orang ramai.
  
"Sebagai sebuah bank komuniti, kemudahan akses perbankan untuk segenap lapisan masyarakat menjadi mandat utama BSN. Sejajar dengan usaha ini, satu perkhidmatan yang dikenali sebagai Ejen Bank Berdaftar telah diperkenalkan oleh BSN pada Jun lepas," katanya.
  
Menurutnya, perkhidmatan itu merupakan satu saluran perbankan alternatif yang menawarkan akses perbankan asas yang lebih mudah, cepat dan fleksibel. - Bernama

BSN galak kedai runcit jadi ejen

BANK Simpanan Nasional (BSN) Kelantan akan memperluaskan program menggalakkan premis tumpuan awam, terutama kedai runcit menjadi Ejen Bank Berdaftar dengan institusi kewangan itu.

Source from (Harian Metro): http://www.hmetro.com.my/myMetro/articles/BSNgalakkedairuncitjadiejen/Article/index_html
Published: September 30, 2012

Pengarah BSN Cawangan Kelantan Mohd Azian Abu Samah berkata, langkah itu sejajar dengan matlamat bank itu sebagai bank komuniti yang memberi penekanan kepada masyarakat setempat.

Beliau berkata, sejak diperkenalkan Jun lalu, bank berkenaan kini mempunyai 148 ejen berdaftar di seluruh Kelantan dengan merekodkan lebih 91,000 transaksi yang bernilai lebih RM7.97 juta.

“Transaksi melalui Ejen Bank Berdaftar ini dijalankan di premis dengan menggunakan peralatan titik jualan (POS) yang dilengkapi dengan GPRS tanpa wayar.

“Antara perkhidmatan disediakan pada peringkat permulaan ialah perkhidmatan deposit, pengeluaran, pembayaran bil setempat, pembelian Sijil Simpanan Premium (SSP) dan pembayaran tanpa tunai,” katanya selepas majlis perasmian Program Ejen Bank Berdaftar Bersama Komuniti di Kedai Runcit Padang Sakar di Kelantan, semalam.

Katanya, jumlah itu adalah sebahagian daripada 4,000 Ejen Berdaftar Bank itu di seluruh negara yang disasarkan sehingga akhir tahun ini.

Mohd Azian berkata, BSN akan terus progresif memperkasakan inisiatif rangkuman kewangan untuk segenap lapisan masyarakat dan sentiasa komited untuk memberi perkhidmatan lebih cekap serta berkualiti kepada pelanggan dan orang ramai. - Bernama

Agrobank Undertakes Transformation Programme

Source from (Bernama): http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsbusiness.php?id=698475

Published: September 30, 2012

LANGKAWI, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Agrobank is undertaking a transformation programme to upgrade its ability to become a development agent in the country's agriculture sector.

In this light, the bank will carry out full-scale Islamic banking operations by 2015 and its products would be based on syariah principals, said its Chief Executive Wan Mohd Fadzmi Wan Othman.

He said the transformation would include the provision of an efficient delivery system with the establishment of a business centre, new products, services and product rebranding.

"Steps taken include the use of the state-of-the-art technology and Internet banking which was launched on July 7," he said at the opening of the Langkawi Agrobank branch by Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom.

Some of the new products introduced by the bank include 'Paddy-i', Paddy CAsh-i and Basic Saving Account-i (BSA-i).

He said Contract Financing-i and Machinery and Equipment Financing-i would be launched soon in line with the bank's aspiration to conduct Islamic banking by 2015.

-- BERNAMA

Sasar laksana perbankan Islam sepenuhnya 2015

Source from (Harian Metro): http://www.hmetro.com.my/myMetro/articles/SasarlaksanaperbankanIslamsepenuhnya2015/Article/index_html

Published: September 30, 2012

AGROBANK menyasar untuk melaksanakan sepenuhnya perbankan Islam menjelang 2015 berikutan pelancaran program transformasi bagi meningkat dan menggalakkan keupayaannya sebagai ejen pembangunan menjayakan sektor pertanian sebagai enjin ketiga pertumbuhan ekonomi negara.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Wan Mohd Fadzmi Wan Othman berkata, berikutan itu, semua produk Agrobank pada 2015 akan menggunakan prinsip syariah sepenuhnya.

Beliau berkata, antara transformasi itu ialah meningkatkan kecekapan penyampaian melalui penubuhan pusat perniagaan, penambahbaikan proses kerja, penjenamaan semula produk, memperkenalkan produk baru dan perkhidmatan baru.

“Perubahan ini dilaksanakan selepas bank membuat penilaian teliti hasil maklum balas pelanggan, perubahan pasaran, dasar kerajaan dan keperluan semasa kerajaan,” katanya pada majlis perasmian Agrobank cawangan Langkawi dan penyerahan zakat Agrobank oleh Timbalan Menteri Pertanian dan Industri Pertanian, Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom di Langkawi, kelmarin. - Bernama