Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced a series of immediate measures to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) facing rising costs and supply chain disruptions triggered by the global energy crisis.
The initiatives include an RM5 billion guarantee allocation under Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan (SJPP), alongside extended tax flexibility and import duty relief aimed at easing operating pressures for affected businesses.
Anwar said the government is actively engaging MSMEs to gather direct feedback on challenges on the ground, noting that the latest measures are designed to ensure targeted assistance reaches those most affected.
Under the expanded SJPP scheme, coverage for impacted sectors such as construction, agriculture, logistics, transport and tourism will be raised to 80% from 70%, with guarantee tenure extended to up to 10 years from seven years previously. The government will also work with banks to facilitate loan restructuring and repayment assistance.
To further ease compliance burdens, the government has granted an additional 12-month transition period for the e-invoicing rollout for businesses with annual sales between RM1 million and RM5 million, extending the deadline to Dec 31, 2027. During this period, businesses are allowed to issue consolidated e-invoices without penalties.
The package also includes interim consideration for import duty and sales tax exemptions on the re-importation of Malaysian-made goods that could not complete export processes due to conflict-related disruptions, valid until Dec 31, 2026.
Anwar said the measures reflect the government’s commitment to strengthening economic resilience amid prolonged global uncertainty, stressing that support will be delivered in a more targeted and adaptive manner as cost pressures persist across industries.
