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96    BANK MUAMALAT MALAYSIA BERHAD


          ECONOMIC






                                                                                                               M2

           ENTREPRENEUR DEVELOPMENT: FOSTERING GROWTH AND INNOVATION

            Why This Matters
           Entrepreneur  development  plays  a  vital  role  in  stimulating   government agencies and strategic partners, the Bank
           innovation, fostering economic resilience, and generating   facilitates access to financing for SMEs and Micro SMEs
           employment opportunities, particularly at the grassroots   through  partly  secured  guarantee  schemes.  This  support
           level. Small and micro enterprises are often the backbone   enables entrepreneurs to grow and sustain their businesses,
           of local economies, yet they face challenges in accessing   strengthening local economies and contributing to national
           affordable and reliable financing.                   development goals. Our efforts are also closely aligned
                                                                with our mission to enhance financial inclusion and
           Bank Muamalat recognises the importance of supporting   improve the overall well-being of the communities
           this segment as part of our commitment to inclusive and   we serve.
           sustainable  economic  development.  By  collaborating  with

            Our Approach

           Bank Muamalat’s approach to entrepreneur development is grounded in collaboration, tailored financial solutions,
           and alignment with national priorities. Through these efforts, Bank Muamalat continues to empower entrepreneurs as
           key drivers of innovation, resilience, and inclusive growth across Malaysia.
           Our strategy focuses on the following core areas:
           •  Strategic  Collaborations  -  Partnerships  with  vendors,  business  networks,  and  government-linked  agencies  enable  the
             provision of partly secured guarantees, expanding financing access to SMEs and Micro SMEs with limited collateral capacity.
           •  Customer-Centric  Engagement  -  The  Bank  engages  directly  with  SME  and  Micro  SME  customers  to  better  understand
             their  unique  business  needs.  This  allows  us  to  tailor  financing  products  and  advisory  support  that  promote  long-term
             business growth and sustainability.
           •  Alignment  with  Government  Initiatives  -  Collaborations  with  national  initiatives,  enhance  the  availability  of  funding  and
             advisory resources for targeted groups, particularly Bumiputera entrepreneurs and underserved segments.

            Key Actions and Outcomes
           In 2024, Bank Muamalat made significant strides in    These actions have led to meaningful outcomes that
           supporting  entrepreneur development  through  various   reflect Bank Muamalat’s continued efforts to support
           initiatives and collaborations:                      entrepreneurship as a cornerstone of inclusive economic
                                                                development:
           •  Offered  the  Ar  Rahnu  product  as  the  primary  financing
             solution for individual entrepreneurs under Retail Banking,   •  A  total  of  RM208.62  million  in  financing  outstanding
             particularly those operating as sole proprietors or    was  recorded  as  of  FY2024,  directly  benefiting  6,445
             managing small businesses.                           individual entrepreneurs. This reflects a growing demand
                                                                  for Shariah-compliant financing options among sole
           •  Initiated the design of a new tailored product, Ar Rahnu   proprietors  and  microenterprise  owners,  particularly
             Business, aimed at further addressing the specific needs    those in underserved and informal sectors who often face
             of individual entrepreneurs and micro-business operators.
                                                                  barriers in accessing traditional credit facilities.
           •  Enhanced outreach and advisory support by implemented   •  Throughout FY2024, the Bank disbursed RM332.74 million
             focused outreach efforts through branches and partner   in financing to individual entrepreneurs, enabling a wide
             agencies to promote product awareness, financial     spectrum of business owners to secure working capital
             literacy, and advisory support for small business owners in   for operational continuity, inventory expansion, equipment
             underserved areas.
                                                                  upgrades, and business diversification. This financial
                                                                  support helped many entrepreneurs stabilise their
                                                                  businesses  in the  face  of inflationary  pressures and
                                                                  supply chain disruptions.
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