Microsoft Partners SME Corp to Grow Malaysian SMEs

Microsoft Partners SME Corp to Grow Malaysian SMEs

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Just yesterday at the Make 'IT' Work For Your Business event, Microsoft Malaysia (Microsoft) and SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) announced a partnership agreement that aims to equip Malaysian Small and Medium enterprises (SME) with cloud computing technology by leveraging on Microsoft’s Office 365 productivity suite.

With the overall objective of empowering Malaysian SMEs with the necessary tools to succeed in a global interconnected business landscape where agile and scalable technology infrastructures is key to maintaining the competitive edge, this partnership will see Microsoft re-investing US$13 per Office 365 seat, which may lead to up to RM20.8 million for the first year if the suite is adopted by 50,000 SMEs in the country.

With this new partnership, Malaysian SMEs will also be able to utilize the Microsoft Office 365 to create, edit, store and share their ideas and work in the cloud, while simultaneously raising their SCORE (SME Competitiveness Rating for Enhancement) rating through management and technical capabilities, which will lead to participation in more exclusive programs organized by SME Corp.

In addition to this, Microsoft will be conducting training programs and provide SME Helpdesk services to assist SMEs with the new cloud computing software.

“The opportunity for transforming the way Malaysia does business is enormous. 99.2% of businesses in Malaysia are SMEs, which presently employs 56% of the Malaysian workforce and generates 32% of the national GDP. In fact, SMEs in Malaysia will benefit from using Office 365, and I encourage everyone to visit our website and find out for themselves how SME Corp. Malaysia and Microsoft can help you transform their business,” commented Y. Bhg. Dato’ Hafsah Hashim, CEO of SME Corp.

In conjunction with this partnership, Microsoft also announced a training partnership with Peniagawati (Association of Bumiputera Women Entrepreneurs and Professionals of Malaysia) to drive the development of ICT and cloud computing skills and knowledge to entrepreneurs through training in Office 365.

For more information, please visit www.office365.com.