PUTRAJAYA, Dec 7 -- Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today launched the MalaysiaBiz portal which serves as a one stop centre to facilitate online business registrations and licensing applications.
He said the portal developed by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) was aimed at creating a trade-friendly environment to encourage competitiveness in the country and spur local economic growth.
"I call on small and medium entrepreneurs, to take advantage of this opportunity. Do register and apply for your business licence through the MalaysiaBiz portal.
"Let us ensure the success of this initiative and may our endeavours and efforts be eased," he said in his speech at the launch of the portal which was posted on MAMPU Facebook page.
The Prime Minister said the portal was developed as the government realised the importance of digital platforms in businesses and contributions of small and medium enterprises to national income.
Muhyiddin said last year, SMEs contributed 38.9 per cent to gross domestic product (GDP) compared to 38.3 per cent in 2018 and are targeted to contribute 45 per cent to GDP by 2025 and 50 per cent by 2030.
He said as the trend to buy online these days shows that SMEs have the potential to grow rapidly, measures to generate SME growth will continue to be given priority.
According to the Prime Minister, the 2021 Budget tabled recently also showed that business continuity is one of the three main goals of the budget.
He said special attention was given to SMEs through fund assistance, training, digital equipment and grants, including an allocation of RM1 billion to boost digitalisation activities until Dec 31 2023.
Muhyiddin said RM150 million was allocated for training and sales assistance programmes as well as digital equipment provision to 100,000 local entrepreneurs under the Micro and SME e-Commerce campaign.
A total of RM4.6 billion was also allocated to empower Bumiputera entrepreneurs and to provide special micro credit financing through Tekun Nasional, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and AgroBank for the benefit of women entrepreneurs.
"These efforts reflect the government's commitment to boost SMEs and are consistent with the framework of initiatives in previous economic stimulus packages such as the Penjana SME Financing Scheme and the Prihatin Special Grants to ease the burden on traders," he said.
The MalaysiaBiz Portal (https://malaysiabiz.gov.my) is an online system that integrates 17 government agencies to enable traders to get services through one gateway.
The portal is part of efforts in sustaining public service delivery improvement in moving towards digital government, the result of a collaboration between MAMPU, the Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry and SME Corporation Malaysia.
Meanwhile, MAMPU in a media statement issued in conjunction with the portal launch said the MalaysiaBiz portal is expected to benefit 907,065 SMEs or 98.5 per cent of total business establishments in Malaysia.
It said the online system could facilitate registration of 23 types of businesses including sole proprietorship, partnership, cooperatives, corporations and multi-disciplinary practice.
"Traders could also apply for 105 types of licences which include licence for the manufacture of scheduled controlled goods, printing machine licence, housing developer’s licence, business premises and advertising licence, hawker permit and so forth," it said.
The MalaysiaBiz Portal also provides business data purchasing facility via the MyBiz-Data menu which are information on business registration details from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM).
Another feature is the implementation of 12-digit format number as new business entity identification numbers to standardise all types of business entities.
-- BERNAMA
