KUALA LUMPUR: SMI Association of Malaysia hopes to be part of a small and medium enterprise (SME) task force to be set up by International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) to solve issues faced by SMEs.

“We welcome this task force and would like to be a part of it,” said national president Chua Tiam Wee at a briefing on the association’s SME Financial Solution Seminar 2010 and SME Recognition Award 2010 Roadshow yesterday.

“We hope this (task force) will be something along the lines of Pemudah (a high-powered taskforce to address bureaucracy in business-government dealings) where all the recurring issues relating to SMEs such as financing, human resources and accessing new markets can be resolved,” he added.

Chua said members of the task force would be nominated by Miti.

“We also hope that it (the task force) will involve the relevant Government ministries and service providers such as banks and ICT (information and communications technology) companies.”

Chua said many issues relating to SMEs were yet to be resolved, such as the SME Bank’s contribution to (SME) financing.

“In the first six months of this year, only RM420mil were approved to SMEs compared with RM135bil in total loan approvals for the whole of 2009,” he said.

Chua also said there were some funds that needed to be revised and revamped to increase its utilisation by SMEs.

Another issue faced by SMEs was labour shortage, especially in the furniture industry, said Chua, adding that SMEs should embrace ICT to move up the value chain.

“This is essential to achieve the national goal for SMEs to contribute 50% to 60% of gross domestic product by 2020 from 35% currently,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chua said the seminar, to be held on Aug 20, would feature prominent speakers from the SME industry.

The event will be jointly organised by the association and the Federal Territory MCA SME bureau.