Don't Stop Helping SMEs, Muhyiddin Tells GLCs

02 April 2010 , By Bernama

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has urged big corporations especially government-liked companies (GLCs), to continue assisting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through development programmes.

He said suitable programmes such as merger, technology transfer, vendor development and collaboration could help SMEs expand their businesses.

"Indirectly, the GLCs will be able help the government in ensuring that the country's economy continues to expand," he said at the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of a bitumen depot belonging to Innate Synergy Sdn Bhd here Thursday.

He said that in the petroleum and gas industry, Petronas also could continue to do its part.

"Petronas will be able to assist the small companies not only in terms of advice and supervision, but it can also cover other aspects like technology transfer, expert assistance in technical fields and marketing," he said.

The government wanted to see more SMEs belonging to Malaysians taking part in the industry so that the dependency on foreign companies could be reduced, Muhyiddin said.

The RM30 million bitumen depot, the first in Northern Peninsula, was partly financed by SME Bank.

Construction work on the 0.88-hectare project at the bulk cargo terminal in Seberang Perai began last month and is expected to complete in February 2011.

The depot will start operations two months later with a storage capacity of 12,000 metric tonnes.