Maxis and KUSKOP Join Forces to Digitise 6,000 Halal Entrepreneurs

Maxis has officially entered into a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (KUSKOP) to launch Perkasa Halal, a targeted initiative designed to bolster the digital capabilities of businesses within the national halal economy.

The programme aims to train 6,000 entrepreneurs by combining KUSKOP’s existing Halal Sukses reach with the Maxis eKelas Usahawan (eKU) framework. The initiative was formally launched by Steven Sim Chee Keong, Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development, at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre during the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026. Khairul Dzaimee bin Daud, Secretary-General of KUSKOP, was also in attendance to witness the commencement of this collaboration.

Perkasa Halal is structured as a comprehensive digital training and accelerator programme. According to the original publisher, the initiative provides a structured pathway for participants, guiding them from fundamental digital skills development to tangible business growth. The programme focuses on ensuring that entrepreneurs are not just trained, but effectively integrated into the digital marketplace.

Beyond the classroom, participants gain access to ongoing coaching, industry connections, and continued support through the eKU alumni network. By leveraging this infrastructure, the partnership aims to lower the barrier to entry for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) looking to scale their operations through technology adoption.

For the average Malaysian SME owner, this initiative represents a significant opportunity to bridge the digital divide that often hampers growth in the halal sector. In an economic environment where businesses face mounting pressures, gaining digital proficiency can be the deciding factor in operational efficiency and market reach. By streamlining the transition to digital tools, Perkasa Halal could potentially help smaller traders move away from traditional, limited-reach sales models toward more robust, tech-enabled business structures.

Furthermore, for the local consumer, this expansion suggests a future where a broader array of goods and services will be discoverable online. As more MSMEs successfully transition to digital platforms, shoppers are likely to benefit from increased competition, better access to niche halal products, and potentially more reliable service standards, as businesses professionalise their operations through these training programmes.

This initiative emerges at a time when the Malaysian economy is showing resilience, with a real GDP growth rate of 6.0% year-on-year. While the macro-economic environment remains strong, the country continues to navigate challenges in the labour market, with approximately 520,300 people currently unemployed as of July 2026. Programmes like Perkasa Halal are essential in this context, as they provide an avenue for small-scale entrepreneurs to scale their businesses, potentially creating local job opportunities in the process.

The partnership also highlights a growing trend of corporate-government synergy aimed at sustaining Malaysia's position in the global halal market. By aligning Maxis’s technological expertise with KUSKOP’s reach, the government is attempting to ensure that the halal economy is not left behind in the broader national digital transformation agenda.

While the rollout plan for the 6,000 participants is clear, the specific timeline for the completion of the training cycles has not been disclosed. Additionally, it remains to be seen what specific metrics will be used to measure the long-term commercial success of the graduates beyond the initial training and networking phases.