Budget 2023: What do entrepreneurs want?

SHAH ALAM - Entrepreneurs are hoping the government will provide more soft loans and grants to boost business in the upcoming Budget 2023.

Zaibi Realty Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer Wan Sazriz Wan Zaid said he hoped that the government would continue to give funds to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs)

"I hope the government will include facilitation (in Budget 2023) for businesses to keep going.

"We hope they will provide business aid to all entrepreneurs to continue in terms of soft loans and grants.

"Plus, I also wish that the government will do more in development activities so it can create economic multiplying,” he said.

Wan Sazriz added if this was done, small businesses could latch on which would lead from one growth to another.

On the other hand, Dexandra founder Ernayanee Nur Julaimi said she preferred for the government to help the entrepreneurs from scratch to be in the right path.

"As businessmen, we also need exposure and also we need the capital to continue our business,” she added.

As for a trainer in Teras Pahlawan Sdn Bhd, Joeherry Gani said he hoped the government would help in terms of equity funding.

"Until now, many entrepreneurs learned about capital mechanism techniques and they faced problems at the early stages.

"So, the government still can help through agencies at the early stage of fundraising since it’s still new and most of them are still in doubt about fundraising,” he said.

He added that if the government has the funds in Budget 2023, many entrepreneurs could use them for the first stage of fundraising.