Among the sectors that were the worst hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order that followed were the Small and Medium Enterprises or SMEs in Malaysia. This budget is the biggest in Malaysian history clocking in at RM332.1 billion. From cash aid to subsidies, we speak to economist Dr Woo Wing Thye to better understand how the budget can benefit SMEs and some of the opportunities missed by the government in helping this sector to recover.

Dr. Woo currently heads the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia and Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development.