KUALA LUMPUR: The government has allocated RM5.88 billion to run 167 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) development programmes this year.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the programmes, now being implemented through 16 ministries and 60 agencies, were initiated to encourage SMEs' contribution to the country.
"In efforts to increase the contribution of SMEs to the country, the government has set the year 2017 as the year to promote SMEs development and business startups.
"I was also made to understand that according to a SME Corporation study, its performance for the first quarter in 2017 indicated that the business is improving."
Najib was speaking before chairing the 22nd National SMEs Development Council meeting at the SME Corporation headquarters here today.
He added he was confident that the SME's masterplan aimed at intensifying the growth of SMEs towards achieving the status of a high-income nation in 2020, would be realised.