KUALA LUMPUR, September 28 — SME Corp. Malaysia has launched the Business Accelerator Programme (BAP) Alternative Financing Programme 2025 in collaboration with Shariah-compliant peer-to-peer financing platform microLEAP, offering RM35 million in financing to support local SMEs.
Eligible businesses can secure up to RM400,000 at a profit rate of 3.5% per annum, with the added incentive of converting up to 40% of the financing into a grant, subject to approval and timely repayment. With this initiative, the total funds allocated under the SME Corp.–microLEAP partnership since 2021 now stand at RM70 million.
SME Corp. CEO Rizal bin Dato’ Nainy said the programme underscores efforts to upscale small enterprises to medium-sized businesses by 2030, while microLEAP CEO Tunku Danny Nasaifuddin Mudzaffar highlighted its aim to provide SMEs with accessible financing without the traditional barriers of collateral or lengthy track records.
The scheme will support working capital and business improvements, including ESG adoption, ICT upgrades, product certification and advertising, further strengthening financial inclusion for Malaysia’s SME sector.
