Bridging Gaps in Sabah: Credit Solutions & National Standards


Date: November 30, 2023

On November 30, the founding team of Pintar Investments visited Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC) for a meaningful deep dive into the region's financial ecosystem.

Understanding the Real Economy: B40 & M40 Our discussion went beyond the surface. We analyzed the unique economic structure of Sabah, where the traditional definitions of B40 (Bottom 40%) and M40 (Middle 40%) often differ from the peninsula. We discussed how many credit-worthy individuals in these groups are underserved simply because they lack formal documentation, despite having strong repayment capacity.

Leveraging National Standards for Local Growth A key highlight of the meeting was sharing our involvement in the National E-Invoicing Initiative under MDEC. As committee members for this national program, our team shared first-hand insights on how the upcoming e-invoicing mandates will transform business transparency.

We explored how SCC could leverage this national shift to:

  1. Validate Income: Use e-invoicing data to verify SME cash flows, allowing for better credit scoring of the "invisible" M40 segment.

  2. Digitalize Operations: Align SCC’s systems with national standards early to stay ahead of regulatory curves.

It was a privilege to exchange ideas with SCC—bridging the gap between national policy frameworks and on-the-ground financial needs in Sabah.

Location: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

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