23/10/2025

BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | OCT 23, 2025

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Syariah-compliant financing boost for halal-certified MSMEs

JS Solar, Huawei Malaysia in tie-up for green energy projects KUALA LUMPUR: Huawei Techno logies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Huawei Malaysia) and JS Solar Holding Bhd have inked an MoU at the recent International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Con ference Malaysia (IGEM) 2025 to jointly advance smart solar and energy storage projects across Malaysia. The tie-up will drive JS Solar’s upcoming renewable energy pro jects, with the aim of accelerating Malaysia’s carbon neutrality goals. JS Solar’s projects include Large Scale Solar farms, Ground Mounted Self-Consumption Solar farms, hybrid rooftop systems and the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme. “JS Solar is excited to strengthen our collaboration with Huawei Digital Power as we expand into East Malaysia. By combining Huawei’s advanced smart PV and energy storage technologies with JS Solar’s proven project delivery expertise, we aim to provide reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy solutions that accelerate Malaysia’s clean energy transition. This partnership underscores our joint commitment to supporting the nation’s net zero aspirations,” said JS Solar managing director Chai Jeun Sian. “Huawei Digital Power is pleased to collaborate with JS Solar in advancing Malaysia’s renewable energy infrastructure. With our Smart PV and energy storage technologies, JS Solar will be able to optimise power generation, manage energy use more effect-ively, increase operational effi-ciency and ensure grid stability across diverse applications,” said Huawei Malaysia, digital power business vice president Chong Chern Peng. Under the partnership, JS Solar will serve as the Engineering, Procurement and Construction partner, while Huawei Malaysia will be the tech enabler, contributing its digital power expertise and innovative Smart PV solutions.

in the sector’s governance and resilience. microLEAP CEO Tunku Danny Nasaifuddin Mudzaffar said, “Our mission is to open financing pathways that are fair, transparent and accessible. With Budget 2026 charting a clear path for sustainable and inclusive growth, syariah compliant financing must play a central role in empowering Halal MSMEs. Partnering with HDC allows us to scale this vision with purpose, enabling businesses to access the funding they need to grow, export and contribute to Malaysia’s leadership in the global Halal economy.” Since 2019, microLEAP has channelled over RM438.6 million in syariah-compliant financing to 357 MSMEs across sectors such as trading, services, food and beverage, technology and engineering. In Q3’25, the platform disbursed RM57.5 million, representing a 113% year-on-year increase. As of October 2025, microLEAP’s default rate has improved to 0.34%, under scoring the platform’s consistent portfolio quality and prudent credit practices. HDC CEO Hairol Ariffein Sahari said, “Budget 2026 and the Halal Industry Master Plan 2030 both recognise the Halal sector as a driver of innovation and inclusivity. The real test for Halal businesses has never been certification alone; it has been access to capital. By bridging that gap with microLEAP, we are supporting HIMP 2030’s mission to build an integrated and competitive Halal ecosystem where businesses can grow sustainably, innovate confidently and compete globally.” The partnership between microLEAP and HDC represents a tangible step towards embedding syariah-compliant financing within Malaysia’s broader Halal industry infrastructure.

microLEAP, a recognised syariah compliant Peer-to-Peer (P2P) financing platform by the Securities Commission Malaysia, offers two core financing options tailored to MSME needs. Its micro financing product provides access to funding of up to RM50,000 for smaller enterprises seeking working capital or early-stage expansion, while its invoice financing offers a soft limit of up to RM500,000 for businesses with larger operational and cash flow requirements. These solutions are designed to give Halal MSMEs flexible, ethical and transparent financing options aligned with syariah principles. The partnership with HDC will also align financial readiness with certification standards, helping entrepreneurs move from being Halal-certified to becoming Halal competitive. In addition, the collaboration aims to encourage more investors to participate in syariah-based MSME financing, strengthening confidence

o microLEAP and HDC partnership supports Budget 2026’s goal to empower small businesses and grow Malaysia’s Islamic finance ecosystem

KUALA LUMPUR: Following the government’s announcement of Budget 2026, which places renewed emphasis on MSME empowerment, sustainable financing and halal ecosystem development under the 13th Malaysia Plan, microLEAP and Halal Development Corporation Bhd (HDC) have partnered to expand syariah-compliant financing opportunities for halal-certified micro, small and medium enter prises. In a statement, they said the partnership supports Budget 2026’s focus on advancing Malaysia’s halal economy as a key pillar of national growth, while also aligning with the Halal Industry Master Plan (HIMP) 2030, which envisions a “Prominent,

Visible and Globalised Halal Malaysia”. Specifically, they added that the collaboration complements Stra tegic Thrust 4: Enhancing Quality and Integrated Infrastructure Development, by strengthening financial infrastructure and access to capital for Halal enterprises to scale and compete internationally. Through this collaboration, more than 14,000 members registered under HDC’s Halal Integrated Platform (HIP) will have access to microLEAP’s syariah compliant financing ecosystem, enabling them to secure funding that supports business expansion, Halal certification readiness and growth opportunities.

Huawei Malaysia and JS Solar will also jointly study, design and implement Solar + Battery Energy Storage System technologies, ex ploring practical business models and scalable solutions to enhance renewable energy efficiency and grid resilience. MAB Engineering, MTU Zhuhai deepen support services collaboration HDC and microLEAP representatives exchange documents to mark their strategic partnership agreement. As the nation moves forward under Budget 2026 and HIMP 2030, both organisations said they are committed to ensuring that Halal MSMEs are not only compliant participants in the economy but key enablers of Malaysia’s growth, innovation and global competi tiveness.

SEPANG: MAB Engineering Services has signed a support services agreement (SSA) with MTU Maintenance Zhuhai Co Ltd (MTU), furthering their collaboration to enhance on-site support (OSS) capabilities and reinforce MAB Engineering Services’ position as a leading regional provider of engine maintenance expertise. The SSA builds on the MoU signed in October 2023, which laid the groundwork for the collaboration. Under the MoU, MTU committed to supporting MAB Engineering Services with project management support for OSS establishment, employee training, and sales pipeline development. It also

Airlines Bhd, both part of Malaysia Aviation Group, are close partners of theirs and they are more than happy to lend their expertise and insight for this project. “The aviation market in Asia is the world’s fastest growing one and demand for maintenance capacities is only expected to increase further. This is exactly what we are addressing with this collaboration,” said Wagner. In recent months, MTU Maintenance’s ON-SITEPlus service experts from Australia, Brazil and Germany have been conducting a benchmark blade replacement project on the high-pressure turbines of 20 of Malaysia Airlines’ CFM56-7 engines.

across some of the most widely used engines in the industry. MTU Maintenance Zhuhai president and CEO Gert Wagner said their location will provide structured project management guidance, a comprehensive training programme for MAB Engineering Services employees, and direct sales support to help the company develop a robust, long-term sales pipeline in the region. “MTU Maintenance Zhuhai is the world’s largest MRO service provider for narrowbody engines by shop-visit volume whose engine experts routinely conduct on-site maintenance workscopes,” he said, adding MAB Engineering Services and Malaysia

(MRO) partner for airlines across the region.” MAB Engineering Services has committed to achieving capability readiness for OSS maintenance on CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B engines by July 2026, supported by approvals from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as additional approvals from several Southeast Asian regulators by year-end. Readiness for V2500 engines is planned by 2027, followed by LEAP engines by 2028, further cementing MAB Engineering Services’ expertise

highlights the mutual confidence both companies have in the partnership and in the growth prospects of the aviation maintenance market in the Asia-Pacific market region. With the agreement now in place, the collaboration is moving into its execution phase. MAB Engineering Services chief operating officer Eke Nazri Rahim said, “This agreement marks an important milestone for MAB Engineering Services. With MTU’s technical expertise and global network, we are accelerating our capability growth, driving long-term value creation, and positioning ourselves as a trusted maintenance, repair and overhaul