KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) and the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) have jointly launched the Strategic Co-Investment Fund (CoSIF) under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030).

Launched on Tuesday by Miti Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz and SC chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi, the RM131.5 million fund will be administered by the SC and distributed through equity crowdfunding (ECF) and peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and mid-tier companies (MTCs) in strategic sectors.

In a joint statement, Miti and the SC said that CoSIF is a public-private co-investment scheme where the government partners with private investors at predetermined ratios to support businesses in 21 sectors under the NIMP 2030, along with four emerging growth sectors: Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), Electric Vehicles (EV), Renewable Energy (RE), and Advanced Materials.

"CoSIF is a blended financing model that leverages the capital market to access unconventional funding sources, mobilising significant resources for high-impact projects in strategic areas such as advanced manufacturing, digitalisation, and decarbonisation," the statement said.

Zafrul said the initiative not only diversifies financing options but also reflects a commitment to inclusivity by facilitating broad-based growth in the industry.

"We are proud to unveil this innovative fund as an integral part of realising the NIMP 2030's missions, which places us on a better footing to continue positioning Malaysia as a premier manufacturing and services hub in the region," he said.

Mohammad Faiz said the deployment of CoSIF through ECF and P2P platforms aligns with the SC's efforts to democratise capital market financing access for micro-SMEs and MTCs.

"This structured public-private co-investment mechanism aims to support these businesses in their fundraising efforts, fostering a more inclusive capital market," he said.

CoSIF is part of the SC's 5-Year Roadmap (2024-2028) to bridge the funding gap for SMEs and MTCs. The roadmap also includes the release of the Capital Market Starter Pack and a Simplified Pitching Guide, developed in collaboration with 1,337 ventures, to help businesses present their growth potential to investors.

Uploaded by Lam Seng Fatt