KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 31, 2025 – Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick has welcomed the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) for 2026-2030 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Parliament today, positioning his ministry (KUSKOP) as a key driver for scaling micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and empowering the third sector.
In a media statement, Ewon described RMK13— themed around redesigning inclusive, sustainable, and responsible national development—as a pathway to economic prosperity, social reform, public service improvements, public welfare, and environmental sustainability, all aimed at realizing the Malaysia MADANI vision.
KUSKOP is committed to leading the pillar of MSME scaling by strengthening empowerment models and developing MSME ecosystems, while bolstering the third sector through promoting its cultural practices, enhancing involvement, and multiplying company participation in inclusive empowerment initiatives.
These pillars will be guided by key policies including the National Entrepreneurship Policy, National Franchise Policy, Malaysia Cooperative Policy, National Hawker and Small Trader Development Policy, the MSME Strategic Plan 2030, and the Malaysia Social Entrepreneurship Action Framework 2030, alongside other relevant strategies.
The efforts will also be supported by public service reforms such as the implementation of ILTIZAM, empowerment of GovTech, maturation of governance, project management reforms, and strengthening of the social economy ecosystem. This aligns with the drafting of a new cooperatives act and the reinforcement of internationalization strategies for the local franchise industry.
KUSKOP pledges to spearhead the development of the national entrepreneurship, cooperative, and social economy movements through a ‘whole of government’ approach, utilizing platforms like the National Entrepreneur and SME Development Council and the Nusantara Entrepreneurship Development Council. These serve as consultative forums involving various ministries, state governments, and stakeholders.
As a Cabinet member from Sabah, Ewon also commended the MADANI government’s ongoing commitment to balancing regional development between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), with special catalysts for the latter. “As long as I am mandated to lead KUSKOP, I will support this commitment through additional focus under the Intra-National Look East Policy,” he said.