Press Release 2018

UOB Malaysia partners SJPP to extend government-guaranteed unsecured financing facilities to SMEs

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 21 August 2018 - United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Bhd (UOB Malaysia) has entered into an agreement with Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan Berhad (SJPP) to offer government-guaranteed financing to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) . SJPP is an administrator and manager of credit guarantee schemes under Malaysia Ministry of Finance.

Under the agreement, SMEs can obtain collateral-free loans of up to RM1 million through the SJPP-UOB BizMoney financial solution. This is twice the amount available to customers under the existing UOB BizMoney package. SJPP will guarantee up to 70 per cent of the loan through its Working Capital Guarantee Scheme and Services Sector Guarantee Scheme.

Mr Wong Kim Choong, Chief Executive Officer, UOB Malaysia, said that the partnership with SJPP will help SMEs gain access to additional financing to capitalise on more business opportunities and to meet their working capital needs.

UOB Malaysia six decades of experience in serving Malaysian SMEs gives us a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges they face. According to our research , more than half of Malaysian SMEs expect to grow their revenue in 2018. While the majority aim to expand overseas, many also plan to invest in technology infrastructure to help them drive business performance . To help businesses capitalise on these opportunities and to help them grow, UOB Malaysia is collaborating with SJPP to provide SMEs the flexibility of obtaining additional working capital without the need for more collateral.

We also help SMEs increase their productivity for business growth. By providing scalable digital solutions, such as UOB SmartBusiness , we help them streamline and automate their administrative systems and processes. We also offer SMEs a wide range of term-financing solutions to meet their working capital needs or to acquire fixed assets,Mr Wong said.

The SJPP-UOB BizMoney financial solution provides flexible repayment tenures of 18, 24, 36, 48 or 60 months, with interest rates starting from 0.54 per cent per month.

Dr Nungsari Ahmad Radhi, Principal Officer of SJPP, said that the government is committed to providing continuous support to SMEs through various initiatives, products and services. This includes the various government-guaranteed schemes managed by SJPP that have benefited more than 13,000 enterprises.

We are pleased to work together with financial institutions such as UOB Malaysia to assist and to reach out to as many SMEs as possible. Our low guarantee fees between 0.5 to one per cent, coupled with the underlying sovereign guarantee, offer SMEs financing at competitive rates. This will contribute towards their growth and sustainability. We believe in developing vibrant and healthy SMEs that are integral to Malaysia's economic transformation process, Dr Nungsari said.

To find out more about SJPP-UOB BizMoney, customers can visit uob.my or their nearest UOB Malaysia branch nationwide.

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¹UOB Malaysia defines its SME customers with RM50 million annual sales turnover and below or full-time employees not exceeding 200 workers in the manufacturing sector; or annual sales turnover not exceeding RM20 million or full-time employees not exceeding 75 workers in services and other sectors.

²The ASEAN SME Transformation Survey was conducted by UOB, EY and Dun & Bradstreet in late 2017 with 1,235 SMEs across the six largest ASEAN countries-Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam-to understand how ASEAN SMEs are positioning themselves to participate in the region growth and to adapt to the changes ahead. More than 200 SMEs in Malaysia participated in the survey.

³According to the same survey, 54 per cent of Malaysian SMEs expect to grow their revenue in 2018, while 44 per cent of them have ambitions for overseas expansion. In addition, 65 per cent of companies surveyed said they intend to invest in technology infrastructure to help them drive business performance.

⁴UOB SmartBusiness is an integrated digital business solution designed to help SMEs make cost savings and improve their operating efficiency. In June 2018, UOB Malaysia collaborated with SAP and its affiliate partners, HREasily and Enterpryze to offer the digital business solution at affordable packages.

UOB Malaysia offers an extensive range of commercial and personal financial services through its branches and subsidiaries such as commercial lending, investment banking, treasury services, trade services, cash management, custody services, home loans, credit cards, wealth management, and bancassurance products.

Just as we are dedicated to helping our customers manage their finances wisely and to grow their businesses, UOB is steadfast in its support of the social and economic development of local communities. Guided by our values of being Honourable, Enterprising, United and Committed, we contribute to local communities holistically through philanthropy, partnerships and employee participation, and by being inclusive. Our programmes connect people, strengthen bonds and enrich lives through art, children and education.

For further information, please visit www.uob.com.my.

About SJPP

Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan Berhad (SJPP) is a company wholly owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated. SJPP's role is to administer and manage various Government guarantee schemes, namely the Working Capital Guarantee Scheme, Industry Restructuring Financing Guarantee Scheme, 10th Malaysia Plan Working Capital Guarantee Scheme, Services Sector Guarantee Scheme and many others. SJPP can be reached through its website at www.sjpp.com.my. Prokhas Sdn Bhd, a company wholly owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated has been entrusted to manage the daily operations of SJPP.