Image credit: Dayang News
KUALA LUMPUR: SME Corp Malaysia and microLEAP will channel RM35 million to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the 2025 Business Accelerator Programme (BAP) Alternative Financing initiative.
The programme offers SMEs shariah-compliant financing of up to RM400,000 at a 3.5 per cent profit rate per annum, with the possibility of 40 per cent of the financing being converted into a grant.
microLEAP, a shariah-compliant P2P financing, is the financing intermediary under this programme. With the additional allocation from SME Corp. Malaysia, the total funds allocated under the collaboration with microLEAP since 2021 is now RM70 million.
SME Corp chief executive officer (CEO) Rizal Nainy said this programme reflects the company's commitment to rethinking SME support, not just through financing, but by embedding incentives that reward financial discipline and business growth.
"By enabling up to 40 per cent grant conversion, we are not only reducing the burden of repayment but actively investing in the future of high-potential Malaysian SMEs that are ready to be scaled up, in line with our target to upscale small enterprises to medium-sized enterprises from 1.6 per cent currently to 5 per cent by 2030," he said in a statement.
The programme offers assistance for both working capital and business improvement purposes, namely machinery and equipment purchases, ESG adoption, product certification, advertising and promotion and ICT adoption.
Only SMEs with a timely repayment track record will be eligible to apply for the grant conversion of up to 40 per cent of their financing, subject to approval from SME Corp.
"We believe financing should not just be accessible and affordable; it should also reward good financial discipline. Through our collaboration with SME Corp, we are proud to offer a financing product that does just that.
"We've always believed that SMEs should not need three years of audited accounts or collateral to access financing. If they're generating revenue and growing, and they can afford the financing, we will be there to support them," said microLEAP founder and CEO Tunku Danny Nasaifuddin Mudzaffar.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/business/corporate/2025/09/1271870/sme-corp-microleap-roll-out-rm35mil-financing-boost-sme-growth

