MALAYSIAN businesses could gain access to a new source of growth capital in 2027, with the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) planning a strategic co-investment fund to support high-growth, high-value sectors under the 13th Malaysia Plan.
The fund, to be developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, aims to attract private investment and widen financing access for smaller businesses as they expand, scale up operations and move into higher-value activities.
SC Chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi said existing initiatives had demonstrated the potential of market-based financing to support companies at different stages of growth.
MyCIF has catalysed RM7.7 billion in fundraising for more than 11,500 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) since 2019, while the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 Co-Investment Fund (NIMP CoSIF) has facilitated more than RM243 million in public-private fundraising since its launch last year.
“We have seen this reflected through MyCIF, which has catalysed RM7.7 billion in fundraising for more than 11,500 MSMEs since 2019, as well as NIMP CoSIF, which has facilitated over RM243 million in public-private fundraising since its launch last year.
“These initiatives demonstrate how market-based financing can support businesses at different stages of growth,” he said at the Kembara Borneo – Sabah roadshow themed “Enterprise to Expansion” in Kota Kinabalu.
The roadshow brought together about 200 representatives from business associations, government agencies, capital market intermediaries and entrepreneurs. It was graced by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun.
Faiz said the outreach aimed to give Sabah entrepreneurs practical insights into financing options, including equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer financing, as alternatives to conventional funding.
The initiative supports the SC’s Capital Market Masterplan 2026–2030 and its five-year roadmap to broaden MSME and mid-tier company access to capital market financing, from early-stage funding to public listings.
MSMEs contributed about 40% of Malaysia’s gross domestic product and nearly half of total employment in 2025, highlighting their role in economic growth and job creation.
Sabah was selected for the roadshow because of the expansion potential of its agriculture, tourism and manufacturing industries.
Agriculture contributed 13.9% of Sabah’s GDP in 2025, while manufacturing grew 5% and attracted RM7.6 billion in investments. Tourism also supports the services sector, which accounts for more than half of the state’s economy.
The SC said these industries offered opportunities for businesses to strengthen local supply chains, diversify into new markets and move towards higher-value activities.
The roadshow series began in Penang in August, focusing on capital market funding for semiconductor businesses and their supply chains. The next engagement is planned for Selangor by the end of 2026.
NIMP CoSIF, established through a partnership between the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry and the SC, facilitates growth capital for SMEs and mid-tier companies in strategic manufacturing sectors, supporting the goals of the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and the National Semiconductor Strategy. - October 14, 2026