Consider This: SMEs — Small Banks’ Role in Capital Accessibility

The Asian Financial Crisis of the late 1990s prompted Malaysia to implement a series of reforms aimed at fortifying its financial institutions. One of the most prominent measures taken was the consolidation of the banking sector, leading to a reduction in the number of domestic commercial banks from 22 to just 10 by the year 2002. While the goal was to create stability and strength within the financial industry, it introduced a new set of challenges, particularly for the country's SMEs. The pivotal question that arises is: After more than 2 decades, how has this banking consolidation impacted the ability of SMEs in Malaysia to secure capital? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Professor Woo Wing Thye, Vice-President for Asia at the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. He also heads the ASIA headquarters of SDSN, hosted by the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation at Sunway University, where he is a research professor.