Kuala Lampur, June 25 -- June 27 is World MSME Day. The United Nations has designated the 2026 theme as "Empowering MSMEs through Innovation and Sustainable Industrial Development." SMEs account for over 97 per cent of all businesses in Malaysia and employ about half the nation's total workforce.

SMEs act as the primary socio-economic shock absorber, distributing wealth across the rural and urban divide. When our SME thrives, it funds families, educates the next generation, and seeds grassroots innovation. So, there's generally no debate as to the importance of SMEs. What's debatable is whether SMEs are getting their fair share of support from the government and society, or whether they are benefiting unfairly from over-attention.

Very ...