SME Bank, BSN ink MoU to strengthen entrepreneurial landscape
KUALA LUMPUR (June 17): Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (SME Bank) and Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen the entrepreneurial landscape in Malaysia, particularly among homegrown micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
This strategic alliance, aligned with the Madani Economic Framework and the National Entrepreneurship Framework (NEF), aims to accelerate the growth of local entrepreneurs by enhancing access to financing, expanding capacity-building efforts, and bolstering digital enablement.
It also underscores the vital role Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) play in national economic development.
'We are committed to fostering inclusive and sustainable national growth by forging strategic partnerships that improve SME access to innovative digital solutions,' said SME Bank acting group president and chief executive officer Datuk Dr Mohammad Hardee Ibrahim in a statement.
'With BSN's extensive microfinance customer base and SME Bank's robust digital tools, including our ScoreXcess platform operated by CEDAR, we are enabling a stronger support ecosystem for MSMEs.'
ScoreXcess, a one-stop digital business financing application portal, is one of several digital platforms under SME Bank's transformation journey.
Alongside tools like ELSA and ODELA, these platforms have supported nearly 5,000 SMEs between 2021 and 2024.
The collaboration has already facilitated 89 financing applications via ScoreXcess, amounting to RM3.2 million in financing requests.
Mohammad Hardee added that SME Bank remains committed to supporting SMEs throughout their business lifecycle, including BSN's microfinance clients as they scale up.
'Our support goes beyond financing. From the SME Technology Transformation Fund (STTF) to the Pembiayaan Ekosistem Payung and Bank Negara Malaysia's High Tech & Green Facility (HTG), we're helping businesses innovate, build resilience, and grow sustainably,' he noted.
The MoU exchange took place during Karnival BSN Mikro Madani – Zon Pantai Timur, with SME Bank acting chief corporate strategy officer Hamdan Mohd Habibollah and BSN deputy chief executive Mujibburrahman Abd Rashid representing their respective institutions. BSN Mohammad Hardee Ibrahim SME Bank
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