KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 8 -- The Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia (Samenta) has urged the government to ensure Budget 2026 is pro-SME and growth-oriented, warning that new taxes or compliance burdens could threaten the resilience of local businesses.

In a statement yesterday, Samenta highlighted that many SMEs are still grappling with tight liquidity and rising costs, with seven in 10 having less than six months of cash reserves.

"Budget 2026 must focus on cash flow relief and competitiveness, rather than new revenue measures.

"Any form of new or expanded tax would further erode the resilience of our SMEs," said Samenta national president, Datuk William Ng.

Citing the association's recent SME Outlook Survey, Ng noted th...