2023 SME Workshop in Malaysia: Driving Inclusion for Malaysian SMEs in the Digital Economy

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<div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:medium;border-top:none;border-right:none;border-left:none;border-image:initial;border-bottom:1pt solid windowtext;padding:0cm 0cm 1pt;">BACKGROUND</div>
  
The US-ASEAN Business Council (the Council) is pleased to continue the ongoing initiatives SME Workshop Series: Building Resiliency for ASEAN SMEs – as a part of the <a href="https://www.usasean.org/sme-business-alliance" style="color:rgb(5, 99, 193);">SME Program</a> and <a href="http://asean-sme-academy.org/" style="color:rgb(5, 99, 193);">ASEAN SME Academy</a> (the Academy) – which aims to help ASEAN small and medium enterprises (SMEs) re-navigate themselves after the COVID-19 pandemic and advance in the digital economy. The upcoming workshop will be focusing on “Driving Inclusion for Malaysian SMEs in the Digital Economy,” – which will be conducted on Thursday, July 13, 2023, from 09.30 AM – 16.00 PM (TBC) in Kuala Lumpur. 
  
In Malaysia, SMEs make up<a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/3bc2915c-en/index.html?itemId=/cont…; style="color:rgb(5, 99, 193);"> 97.2% of total business establishments and generate around 38% of GDP while providing employment for 7.3 million people</a>. The majority of SMEs in Malaysia are coming from the <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/3bc2915c-en/index.html?itemId=/cont…; style="color:rgb(5, 99, 193);">services sector (85.5%),</a> followed by construction (7.4%), manufacturing (51.1%), agriculture (1.7%), and others from the mining and quarrying sector (0.3%). Considering services sector is leading sector for SMEs, it is important for the SMEs to be able to keep up and match the needs of the current digital economy development in order to sustain their business. 
  
Aligning with the <a href="https://www.epu.gov.my/sites/default/files/2021-07/National-4IR-Policy…; style="color:rgb(5, 99, 193);">National 4IR Policy</a> and the <a href="https://www.epu.gov.my/sites/default/files/2021-02/malaysia-digital-eco…; style="color:rgb(5, 99, 193);">Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MDEB)</a>, the Council with its members are committed to supporting Malaysian SMEs and the government to accelerate Malaysia’s growth by driving digital transformation. It is also essential to ensure inclusive growth by including women's participation and raising awareness about sustainability in the economy. Through this workshop, the Council and its members aim to provide a platform for discussion with the Malaysian government and private sectors regarding SME development in Malaysia. We also would like to provide capacity-building sessions for SMEs to enhance their digital skills. 
 
<div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:medium;border-top:none;border-right:none;border-left:none;border-image:initial;border-bottom:1pt solid windowtext;padding:0cm 0cm 1pt;">OBJECTIVES</div>
  
The workshop aims to:

<ol>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">Provide necessary digital skills or assistance to support Malaysian SMEs to participate actively in the digital economy and join the global value chain.</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">Offer a platform to connect key stakeholders with Malaysian SMEs with the knowledge and skills to develop their business further.</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">Promote and support the Malaysian Government policies and programs to enhance SMEs’ digitalization and support them to be more competitive regionally and globally.</li>
</ol>

<ol style="list-style-type:lower-alpha;">
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">Keynote Remarks: A 10-minute key insights sharing by the senior official.</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">Panel Discussions: A session that features a multi-stakeholder from public and private sectors to discuss on building a supportive environment for Malaysian SMEs to increase their competitiveness in ASEAN and globally.</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">40-minute Individual Company Showcase: An individual session for US-ABC member sponsors which will share ways and strategies to help Malaysian SMEs thrive in post COVID-19 economy and drive inclusive digitalization.</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">Consultation/Clinic Session: The consultation session will open before the event and during the break for prayer and lunch. The participants can utilize the clinic sessions to consult business and entrepreneurial challenges.</li>
</ol>
  
 
<div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:medium;border-top:none;border-right:none;border-left:none;border-image:initial;border-bottom:1pt solid windowtext;padding:0cm 0cm 1pt;">TARGET AUDIENCE</div>
  
Around 100 business owners and senior executives around Kuala Lumpur and neighboring cities are expected to join the workshop. The expected participants will be from various industries, such as services, construction, manufacturing, tourism, and others. The organizers also aim to have at least 40% of the participants' women entrepreneurs. Outreach will be conducted in partnership with government and local trade associations. 
 
<div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:medium;border-top:none;border-right:none;border-left:none;border-image:initial;border-bottom:1pt solid windowtext;padding:0cm 0cm 1pt;">STAKEHOLDERS</div>

<ul>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development Division)</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">SME Corp. Malaysia (International Cooperation Division)</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (Digital Economy Division)</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">Local associations: SME Association of Malaysia, National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia, National Association of Women Entrepreneurs in Malaysia, and others</li>
</ul>

<ol>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);">YBhg Dato Sri Suriani binti Dato Ahmad (TBC), Secretary General, Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development of Malaysia</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ms. Marweena Manan (TBC), Director for Digital Economy Division, Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry of Malaysia</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mr. Zaky Moh (TBC), Deputy CEO Implementation and Development Office, SME Corp. Malaysia</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mr. Amrul Nazri Abdullah (TBC), Director for International Cooperation Division, SME Corp. Malaysia</li>
</ol>

<ul>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;text-align:justify;">June 26, deadline for sponsorship invitation</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;text-align:justify;">July 5, deadline to provide workshop materials</li>
<li style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;text-align:justify;">July 10 – 12, dry run meeting period (technical coordination)</li>
</ul>

<div style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;text-align:justify;"> 
Please contact Emma Tabatabai (<a href="mailto:emma@usasean.org" style="color: rgb(0, 120, 215); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: auto;" title="mailto:emma@usasean.org">emma@usasean.org</a>) and Salsabil Afifa (<a href="mailto:safifa@usasean.org" style="color: rgb(0, 120, 215); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: auto;" title="mailto:safifa@usasean.org">safifa@usasean.org</a>) for sponsorship interest and further questions.</div>

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