The response from small medium entrepreneurs (SMEs), towards the government's offer of a RM1000 grant to enhance their business by promoting sales online, is still far from satisfactory.
This is moreso with Indian and Chinese SME's and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)is planning a large scale promotion of the available grant under the Get Malaysian Business Online (GMBO)scheme, to bag their attention.
Its Head, Planning and Coordination Secretariat Department, Broadband Management Division, Azizan Mohd Afandi said as of July, there had been only 10,000 takers for the GMBO, which was launched in January this year with a RM50 million grant.
"Many SME operators seem to be still unaware of the availability of the assistance. The RM50 million grant is meant for 50,000 SME operators to assist them in improving their businesses via the Internet.
"Many seem to also think this grant is for a specific group. Actually, it is open to all Malaysians aged between 18 and 65 and having a registered company, a.MY domain and a valid bank account to receive the grant," he told Bernama.
He said the participation of Chinese and Indian SMEs was very small when compared to that of the Malay entrepreneurs.
"Roughly, the take-up from Chinese entrepreneurs is at 20 per cent and that of Indians, being even less.
"In this regard, we plan to undertake a large scale promotion on the availability of the grant for the SMEs in the Chinese and Indian media, to ensure all those eligible get the message," Azizan added.
He also said the exposure to the GMBO grant will also be stepped up with the support of certain organisations such as Amanah Iktihar Malaysia, New Enterprise Foundation, other non-governmental organisations NGOs, government departments and agencies, through various programmes such as workshops,exhibitions,briefings and roadshows.
"The government is keen to see SMEs use the Internet as the main channel for expanding their business network and penetrating the overseas market, without relying on just the conventional methods, to do so," he added.
Azizan said the Internet was the current focus in the promotion of products globally and cited the example of a number of local entrepreneurs who had effectively expanded their business, by using the medium.
Among them was an entrepreneur from Kunak, Sabah, who increased his seaweed business to rake in up to RM20,000 monthly, compared to RM450 previously.
The same goes for an entrepreneur from Sik, Kedah, dealing with silk cotton pillows. He improved his sales from 100 pillows to 100,000 monthly with an income of about RM80,000, through promoting and marketing his product on the internet.
"With the Internet, consumers globally can access needed information easily on products offered by our entrepreneurs," Azizan said.
The objective of the grant is clearly to assist the entrepreneurs, especially women with their own business, to develop websites or to improve and enhance what is already available or make use of website facilities to boost sales online.
According to Azizan, of the 10,000 applications received until July,58 per cent came from women entrepreneurs.
He said although there were 700,000 registered SMEs in the country, only 10 per cent, had their own websites, which was not something to be proud of.
"There are also some SMEs who are not registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM).They are ineligible for the grant. So, we urge them to register with the CCM and proceed to apply for the GMBO grant.
"We also rejected 160 applicants up to June this year as they did not have the required .my domain," he added.
He also issued a reminder that the grant assistance allocated to the MCMC under the 2013 Budget, will end on Dec 31 this year.
Azizan said SMEs could also utilise the facilities available at www.getmybusinessonline.com.my, to build their websites and benefit from free hosting.
Applicants may surf gmbo.skmm.gov.my or e-mail [email protected] for further information on the GMBO scheme, while applications can be made online at www.gmbo.skmm.gov.my.
If an applicant has no internet access, applications may be done at the nearest 1Malaysia Internet Centre.
Applications will be processed within 30 working days based on the set eligibility criteria, and if approved, the RM1000 will be credited into their accounts.
Priority will be given to those entrepreneurs who have not more than five full time staff or an income of not more than RM200,000 annually.
This is moreso with Indian and Chinese SME's and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)is planning a large scale promotion of the available grant under the Get Malaysian Business Online (GMBO)scheme, to bag their attention.
Its Head, Planning and Coordination Secretariat Department, Broadband Management Division, Azizan Mohd Afandi said as of July, there had been only 10,000 takers for the GMBO, which was launched in January this year with a RM50 million grant.
"Many SME operators seem to be still unaware of the availability of the assistance. The RM50 million grant is meant for 50,000 SME operators to assist them in improving their businesses via the Internet.
"Many seem to also think this grant is for a specific group. Actually, it is open to all Malaysians aged between 18 and 65 and having a registered company, a.MY domain and a valid bank account to receive the grant," he told Bernama.
He said the participation of Chinese and Indian SMEs was very small when compared to that of the Malay entrepreneurs.
"Roughly, the take-up from Chinese entrepreneurs is at 20 per cent and that of Indians, being even less.
"In this regard, we plan to undertake a large scale promotion on the availability of the grant for the SMEs in the Chinese and Indian media, to ensure all those eligible get the message," Azizan added.
He also said the exposure to the GMBO grant will also be stepped up with the support of certain organisations such as Amanah Iktihar Malaysia, New Enterprise Foundation, other non-governmental organisations NGOs, government departments and agencies, through various programmes such as workshops,exhibitions,briefings and roadshows.
"The government is keen to see SMEs use the Internet as the main channel for expanding their business network and penetrating the overseas market, without relying on just the conventional methods, to do so," he added.
Azizan said the Internet was the current focus in the promotion of products globally and cited the example of a number of local entrepreneurs who had effectively expanded their business, by using the medium.
Among them was an entrepreneur from Kunak, Sabah, who increased his seaweed business to rake in up to RM20,000 monthly, compared to RM450 previously.
The same goes for an entrepreneur from Sik, Kedah, dealing with silk cotton pillows. He improved his sales from 100 pillows to 100,000 monthly with an income of about RM80,000, through promoting and marketing his product on the internet.
"With the Internet, consumers globally can access needed information easily on products offered by our entrepreneurs," Azizan said.
The objective of the grant is clearly to assist the entrepreneurs, especially women with their own business, to develop websites or to improve and enhance what is already available or make use of website facilities to boost sales online.
According to Azizan, of the 10,000 applications received until July,58 per cent came from women entrepreneurs.
He said although there were 700,000 registered SMEs in the country, only 10 per cent, had their own websites, which was not something to be proud of.
"There are also some SMEs who are not registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM).They are ineligible for the grant. So, we urge them to register with the CCM and proceed to apply for the GMBO grant.
"We also rejected 160 applicants up to June this year as they did not have the required .my domain," he added.
He also issued a reminder that the grant assistance allocated to the MCMC under the 2013 Budget, will end on Dec 31 this year.
Azizan said SMEs could also utilise the facilities available at www.getmybusinessonline.com.my, to build their websites and benefit from free hosting.
Applicants may surf gmbo.skmm.gov.my or e-mail [email protected] for further information on the GMBO scheme, while applications can be made online at www.gmbo.skmm.gov.my.
If an applicant has no internet access, applications may be done at the nearest 1Malaysia Internet Centre.
Applications will be processed within 30 working days based on the set eligibility criteria, and if approved, the RM1000 will be credited into their accounts.
Priority will be given to those entrepreneurs who have not more than five full time staff or an income of not more than RM200,000 annually.
