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PETALING JAYA: AmBank has allocated an additional RM200mil financing facility under the second tranche of its SME Portfolio Guarantee or SPG Revival Scheme to further assist SMEs in reviving and expanding their businesses throughout the recovery period.

The first and second tranches of the SPG Revival Scheme are made possible with a strategic collaboration with Credit Guarantee Corp Malaysia Bhd (CGC), with RM400mil allocated for the first tranche.

Aaron Loo, managing director of retail banking at AmBank, said “This additional allocation would certainly lend a helping hand for SMEs to regain momentum towards the recovery of their businesses.

“The additional support AmBank and CGC have put together on e-commerce further strengthens our SME-in-a-Box proposition which have all the necessary ingredients to help SMEs enter and succeed in the e-commerce space.

“AmBank has always supported our SMEs that are the engine of growth for Malaysia. During the pandemic, AmBank has ensured that our SME clients have easy access to repayment assistance programmes so that they can better manage their cash flow and weather the storm.”

CGC chief business officer, Leong Weng Choong, meanwhile, emphasised that CGC remained focused on its role of assisting viable MSMEs gain access to financing, with the financial inclusion agenda remaining its top priority.

Leong said, “In 2021, our efforts pivoted towards recovery and rehabilitation of businesses. CGC constantly engaged with our MSMEs and provided them with access to financing.

“In support of MSMEs during the challenging Covid-19 pandemic, CGC had extended a six-month moratorium besides allowing them to reschedule and restructure their loan obligations.”

He added that from April 2020 to December 2021, CGC had committed to providing guarantees amounting to RM10bil to MSMEs affected by the pandemic and is confident of achieving this by the end of the year.

He said via collaboration with AmBank retail banking, CGC had availed portfolio guarantees worth over RM2.35bil from September 2016 until October 2021.

The additional RM200mil financing facility is the second tranche of the AmBank SPG Revival Scheme, which offers MSMEs financing of working capital which include e-commerce customers.

Leong further reiterated that in 2022, CGC will increase its momentum with AmBank to support MSMEs involved in e-commerce as this segment is new and has vast potential for growth.

As the majority of SMEs have embarked on digitalisation, SMEs undertaking e-commerce can apply for loan facilities of up to RM1mil and a financing tenure of up to seven years.

Those that are interested to apply would simply be required to provide evidence of their respective e-commerce platform registration.

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2021/12/28/ambank-groups-sme-revival-scheme-supports-e-commerce