Govt Urged To Provide Green Financing Incentives To MSMEs -- Senator

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- The government is urged to provide green financing incentives to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to promote the country’s transition towards decarbonisation, said Senator Datuk Ng Keng Heng.

He said that without a suitable payment mechanism and an easily accessible micro-credit guarantee scheme, the green agenda in Malaysia would become an exclusive rather than an inclusive affair.

“The energy transition and net-zero carbon agenda that is happening around the world is not just about meeting climate goals, but I believe it is an economic opportunity that our country should seize through local entrepreneurs.

“Hence, I urge the government to consider ideas for expanding incentives for rooftop solar installations, payment schemes for energy storage, and targeted subsidies for small industries that want to participate in the decarbonisation process,” he said during the debate session on the Supply Bill 2026 at the Dewan Negara today.

Ng said several small business owners in Johor had taken the opportunity to participate in solar incentives through the net offset virtual aggregation (NOVA) scheme under the net energy metering (NEM) programme with the support of the state government.

Besides, he said the Johor state government also held a sustainability awareness programme in Batu Pahat, via the Johor Sustainability Centre, to encourage small factories and assist commercial businesses in Batu Pahat to switch to solar energy.

“Small industries in Johor, such as factories in Batu Pahat and Pasir Gudang, have benefited from solar incentives as there is strong support from the state government.

“Solar leasing companies, which are eligible for tax exemptions, would make solar installations more affordable for small industries,” he said.

This synergy among all stakeholders is a beneficial approach that should be refined, improved, and adapted, and can even be widely distributed to small industries throughout the country, he added.

-- BERNAMA