Lack of initiative to gather helpful information has been identified as one of the main drawbacks of Malaysia's small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said the problem can be attributed to the prevailing attitude among the majority of SME owners who favour the "old methods".
She said it is still a rarity among them to experiment or find more efficient ways to expand their operations.
"It is very unfortunate that most SME owners in this country are still not even aware that the use of ICT will enable them to easily find new financial sources to expand their business or get new customers at the click of a button," Dr Ng after opening the fifth leg of the Small and Medium Industries (SMIs) Financial Roadshow 2004 at the MS Garden Hotel in Kuantan.
She said the lack of interest on the happenings in the business world among SME owners was another weakness which needs to be addressed.
