04/06/2026

BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | JUNE 4, 2026

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RM10b guarantee schemes to support MSME financing

PETALING JAYA: Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Bhd (CGC) will roll out the BNM-CGC Portfolio Guarantee (PG) and Portfolio Guarantee-i (PG-i) schemes, supporting up to RM10 billion in guaranteed financing for micro, small and medium enterprises. Building on Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) earlier announcement, the schemes are designed to broaden MSMEs’ access to financing across growth and strategic sectors, with CGC serving as the implementation and risk-sharing platform alongside participating financial institutions. In a statement yesterday, CGC said this marks a shift from direct lending support through non-relief facilities toward a scalable, guarantee-based model that enables participating financial institutions to support viable MSMEs, including first-time borrowers and businesses investing in future growth. The PG and PG-i schemes are structured around four policy supporting climate and sustainability transition, improving productivity, and strengthening business resilience. These objectives translate into targeted support for microenterprises, startups, sustainability-focused businesses, enterprises in emerging and strategic sectors, and MSMEs investing in innovation, productivity and resilience. President and CEO Mohamed Nazri Omar ( pic ) said: “This signals a move from direct lending support towards a larger, guarantee based financing model that enables financial institutions to lend with greater confidence to viable MSMEs, including first time borrowers, smaller businesses, and enterprises investing in future growth. Through our targeted risk sharing approach with participating financial institutions, we want to change the way they evaluate these underserved market segments to create new opportunities and contribute to PETALING JAYA: Malaysia and Indonesia will prioritise efforts to strengthen economic cooperation and safeguard supply chain resilience amid mounting global disruptions when they meet for the 17th Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) in Jakarta today. Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will lead the Malaysian delegation to the meeting, which will be co-chaired by his Indonesian counterpart, Sugiono. The ministry said the 17th JCBC will be a follow-up to the 13th Annual Consultation between the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and the Indonesian President, Prabowo Subianto, held in Jakarta on July 29, 2025, and will set the direction for the 14th Annual Consultation to be hosted by Malaysia later this year. “The 17th JCBC will give priority attention to deepening Malaysia-Indonesia economic cooperation to safeguard the resilience of both economies. objectives – expanding financial inclusion for underserved MSMEs,

o Credit Guarantee Corp, alongside participating financial institutions, to broaden businesses’ access to funds via BNM-CGC PG and PG-i

PETALING JAYA: Carsome Group Inc, Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car e commerce platform, has expanded gross profit per unit (GPU) to its highest quarterly level since its founding, supported by continued progress across its three strategic priorities – growing transactions, expanding unit economics and demonstrating operating leverage. The group said this yesterday when reporting financial results for the first quarter (Q1) ended March 31, 2026. Total gross profit grew 25% year-on-year (YoY) to RM158 million (US$40 million), while GPU expanded 30% YoY to RM5,300 (US$1,320) per unit. Ebitda rose 85% YoY to RM29 million (US$7.3 million). The improvement in unit economics reflects stronger retail contribution, improved financing penetration, and continued efficiency gains across Carsome’s refurbish ment and inventory operations, with Q1 marking the fifth consecutive quarter of YoY GPU expansion. Carsome group CEO Eric Cheng ( pic ) said, “The business is beginning to show greater consistency in how growth, profitability, and unit economics reinforce each other across our core markets. The regional environment remains uneven, but the integrated platform we have built is now delivering consistent unit economics, and the opportunity ahead remains many times the size of our current footprint.” Malaysia and Singapore continued to demonstrate operational strength in Q1, supported by sustained consumer demand for value-driven car ownership solutions and steady financing penetration across both markets. Conditions in Indonesia and Thailand remained more variable, reflecting the broader regional macro environment and a more cautious consumer credit backdrop. Year-to-date, Carsome said it has expanded its physical footprint with five new showrooms and inspection centres across the region, including Putrajaya and Alor Setar. The group also extended its strategic financing partnership with JACCS into Singapore, broadening access to financing solutions for retail customers across two of its strongest markets. Carsome said it expects sequential growth in transactions and Ebitda in Q2, supported by continued retail demand, financing contribution, and efficiency gains across its integrated platform. The group expects these improvements to support a multi-quarter trajectory of stronger profitability. “We expect the operating leverage in our model to continue compounding as we scale further into our existing infrastructure,” Cheng said, adding that their focus remains on executing what works, investing in the platform, and strengthening profitability as they continue to scale. Carsome returns to growth in Q1 with record quarterly gross profit per unit

a stronger and resilient economy.” Unlike short-term facilities that primarily address immediate cash-flow and working capital pressures, the PG and PG-i schemes are designed to support longer-term MSME growth, productivity upgrading, sustainability transition and resilience-building. They complement BNM’s SME Stabi lisation Relief Facility, which provides short term relief of up to RM750,000 in working capital over tenures of up to five years, and the earlier RM300 million PG Relief Scheme,

which offers targeted relief of RM20,000 to RM500,000, up to 90% coverage, and up to seven years for affected MSMEs. Together, these init iatives span the full spectrum from im mediate relief to

long-term growth. Under the PG and PG-i schemes, eligible MSMEs can access financing of up to RM10 million per MSME, supporting expansion and long-term investment; tenures of up to 10 years, offering flexible and manageable repayment

terms; guarantee coverage of up to 85%, helping eligible MSMEs with limited col lateral improve their access to financing, subject to credit assessment by participating financial institutions and guarantee fees from as low as 1%, keeping overall costs affordable.

Malaysia, Indonesia to prioritise economic cooperation, supply chain resilience at JCBC meeting

countries are expected to hold the ministerial meeting on Thursday, followed by a joint press conference and an official luncheon hosted by Sugiono. Farzamie said the Senior Officials’ Meeting, co-chaired by Foreign Ministry Secretary General Tan Sri Amran Mohamed Zin and Director-General for Asia-Pacific and African Affairs at Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry Abdul Kadir Jailani, was held on Wednesday to finalise the agenda and documents for the ministerial meeting. He said the JCBC would provide an opportunity for both countries to accelerate ongoing discussions and explore new areas of cooperation ahead of the 14th Annual Consultation between Anwar and Prabowo. Farzamie added that several memorandums of understanding and cooperative initiatives involving agencies from both countries remain under discussion, and the meeting is expected to help expedite negotiations and produce outcomes that can be elevated to the leaders’ level. – Bernama

“Malaysia will steer the discussion towards concrete measures by which the two countries can work together to mitigate external shocks affecting trade flows, energy security, food supplies, and critical inputs to industry,” it said yesterday. Reflecting the importance both countries place on addressing these challenges through bilateral cooperation, the ministry said the agenda will focus on trade and investment facilitation, strengthening cross-border supply chains, energy cooperation and food security. Other areas expected to be discussed include maritime boundary delimitation and land boundary demarcation, border crossings and cross-border trade, cooperation in the halal industry, defence and security, environmental and disaster management, and other matters of mutual interest. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in Jakarta, Farzamie Sarkawi, told the media that Mohamad is scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon. He said the foreign ministers of both