17/12/2025

BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | DEC 17, 2025

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SSF Home back in the black in Q2 FY2026 PETALING JAYA: SSF Home Group Bhd, a retailer in furniture, home décor and home living products, posted revenue of RM33 million and profit after tax (PAT) of RM0.50 million for the second quarter ended Oct 31, 2025 (Q2’26), compared to loss after tax of RM1.9 million in the corres ponding quarter last year (Q2’25) reflecting an improvement of about 125.4%. Revenue for the quarter increased by 9.7% year-on-year from RM30.09 million in Q2’25, supported by the continued effectiveness of targeted marketing initiatives and sustained customer engagement efforts. The group’s focus on value-driven offerings and pro motional campaigns contributed to stronger footfall and improved sales conversion, contributing to a solid revenue performance for the quarter. For the quarter under review, profit before tax (PBT) improved to RM0.53 million compared with a loss before tax of RM2.47 million in the corresponding quarter last year, representing an improvement of about 121.5% and demonstrating a marked strengthening in earnings performance. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, PBT rose 47.2% from RM0.36 million in Q1’26, while PAT increased to RM0.50 million from RM0.17 million in the preceding quarter. The sequential improvement underscores the group’s improving operating leverage and disciplined cost management. On a cumulative basis, SSF recorded revenue of RM66 million for the first half of FY2026 (H1’26), representing a 6.2% increase compared with the corresponding period last year (H1’25). Cumulative PBT improved to RM0.89 million from a loss of RM0.65 million in H1’25, representing an improvement of 236.9%, while cumulative PAT rose to RM0.67 million, supported by stronger sales performance and enhanced operational efficiencies. Executive director Lok Kok Khong said the group is encouraged by the profitability and the steady improve ment in earnings momentum.

M’sian SMEs make progress but still face challenges

lenders. Compliance pressures have also risen significantly, particularly with e-invoicing, environmental, social and governance expectations, and industry certifications. Regional competition, especially from Indo nesia and Vietnam, has also heated up,” he said. Despite this, Ng shared several notable achievements, including Malaysia’s recognition as a top emerging hub for digital services and supply chain diversification, and continued progress in halal industry development, especially in standards and certification across Asean. “Malaysia’s progress in the Johor Singapore Special Economic Zone implementation has also placed SMEs in Johor at the forefront of regional expansion opportunities,” he added. He said Samenta is cautiously optimistic about the outlook for SMEs next year, with three forces set to shape their performance, inclu ding a supportive Budget 2026 and stable economy. “Budget 2026 is structurally supportive, with a strong focus on creating liquidity for SMEs and driving green transitions and AI adoption. “We also see the economy becoming more stable with the narrowing of our budget deficit and with no new major taxes announced. “As Malaysia’s oldest and largest association for SMEs, Samenta will continue to support SMEs to embrace digital tools, automation, certification and regional part nerships in order to grow faster than those who maintain a purely domestic mindset,” he said. Attivo Healthcare, founded in 2014, initially focused on medical devices and nutritional supplements before identifying probiotics as the next frontier in preventive health. By 2016, it transitioned into a probiotic specialised company, launching the Lang Bragman brand that would soon become a household name in the Malaysian wellness market. Following the merger, Pharm-D Health Science has since streng thened its R&D foundation with a dedicated manufacturing arm and research collaborations with research institutions and universities such as Universiti Sains Malaysia and Uni versiti Putra Malaysia, as well as Jiangnan University in China for international collaborations, in driving innovative developments such as locally patented postbiotic ingre dients and psychobiotic formulations. The Malaysia Book of Records recognition establishes Lang Brag man as a national benchmark for homegrown excellence in probiotics and microbiome science. It signifies a rare synthesis of research-driven innovation, ethical manufacturing, and nation-building ambition.

Bernama that while SMEs are making progress this year, their performance remains uneven, with micro and small businesses – especially in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak – continuing to face tighter margins, labour constraints and slower digital adoption. Regarding SME digitalisation, he said, it improved meaningfully in 2025, although progress remains uneven across firm sizes and sectors. “The strongest improvements were seen in digital payments and e commerce adoption, accounting and payroll digitalisation, early-stage automation in manufacturing and logistics, and adoption of cloud based enterprise resource planning among mid-tier SMEs. “Government initiatives that worked well include SME digital isation grants, automation and smart manufacturing financing via SME Bank, government technology and e-invoicing migration support,” he said. Ng said the recently announced 50% tax deduction for artificial intelligence and cybersecurity training shows the government is serious about high-value skills, which has helped raise awareness of digital compliance – and this should continue. “Digitalisation is not a one-year project; it is a multi-year trans formation, especially for smaller firms. We recommend expanding grants to cover subscription-based tools, decentralising delivery through banks and industry asso ciations, and simplifying processes for micro-SMEs,” he said. Ng said 2025 has been a

KUALA LUMPUR: Small and medium enterprises, regarded as the backbone of the economy, made progressed this year, buttressed by a more stable economic environment and a gradual recovery in domestic demand, which boosted sales and business confidence across the sector. A combination of factors contributed to the progress, notably the government’s consistent policy clarity and predictable reforms in areas such as subsidy rational isation, fiscal consolidation and the Madani industrial strategy, which strengthened SMEs’ confidence in planning for the future. In addition, the expansion of targeted government support, including SME financing windows, export promotion programmes and industry-specific facilitation, helped businesses navigate cash-flow and market challenges. Besides this, their upward trajectory was aided by streng thening consumer demand in selected sectors such as retail, food and beverage, logistics, professional services and certain manufacturing subsectors, particularly as inflation moderates. Small and Medium Enterprises Association (Samenta) president Datuk William Ng ( pic ) told o Association cites higher operating costs, tight liquidity among issues

significant year for SMEs as Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship opened doors for greater regional integration, with key initiatives being the upcoming Asean SME Cross-Border Facilitation Framework and the Digital Economy Framework Agreement, both of which are expected to deepen intra Asean trade. “Samenta, along with our counterparts in other Asean member states, has also established the Asean SME Caucus, which will drive private sector initiatives to promote intra-Asean trade among our SMEs, empower stronger digitalisation and work on common grounds in green transition and circularity,” he added. However, he said SMEs still faced challenges similar to those in 2024, such as higher operating costs in logistics, utilities, compliance and labour. “We also faced tight liquidity due to slower payment cycles and reduced risk appetite among

Lang Bragman Probiotic Series enters Malaysia Book of Records PETALING JAYA: Lang Bragman Probiotic Series by Pharm-D Health Science Sdn Bhd has been recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records as the “Largest Range of Home-Grown Probiotic Products in Malaysia”. The recognition was presented to Pharm-D Health Science for

developing more than 34 probiotic formulations catering to various health needs. Built on a foundation of science, safety, and innovation, Lang Bragman’s products utilise science backed and patented probiotic strains, and are manufactured in GMP certified and halal-compliant facilities. Today, Lang Bragman’s products are available in more than 800 pharmacies and medical centers across Malaysia and Singapore, including major pharmacies such as those under the BIG Caring Group - BIG Pharmacy, Caring Pharmacy, Georgetown Pharmacy, Ting Phar macy and Wellings Pharmacy. “This recognition is meaningful because it reflects the depth of expertise we have built in probiotics,” said Pharm-D Health Science Group managing director, Wong Chin Cheang.

Wong (centre) Malaysia Book of Records COO Jwan Heah with management representatives from Big Caring Group, from Pharm-D Health Science Group and Attivo Healthcare, a member of the Pharm-D group at the recognition ceremony.

diseases and advanced therapeutic needs. In 2021, the company expanded its scope through strategic mergers, including its integration with Attivo Healthcare, the founding company of Lang Bragman.

probiotic products that meet the needs of both local and regional communities,” said Wong. Founded in 2001, Pharm-D Health Science began as a specialty healthcare company addressing rare

He added that Lang Bragman has grown into a comprehensive portfolio developed through years of careful research and quality standards. “It shows that Malaysia is capable of producing reliable, science-based