Selangor: Yayasan Hijrah Selangor (Hijrah Selangor) has shortened the approval period for microfinancing of up to RM10,000 to 48 hours from the previous 14 to 21 days. Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari announced that the introduction of the DANA PLUS digital application is a significant advancement in the digitalisation of public services, enhancing access to financing for entrepreneurs through a faster, more efficient, and secure system.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the DANA PLUS platform allows the entire Hijrah Selangor microfinancing application process to be conducted digitally. This includes the application, electronic identity verification (e-KYC), screening and financing approval, digital agreement signing (e-signature), and repayment via auto debit. "Applications can be submitted 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, anytime and anywhere, without the need to visit a branch," Amirudin stated in a Facebook post after launching the application. The fastest approval time recorded is four hours.
Amirudin noted that DANA PLUS will serve as the main platform for the distribution of RM32 million in microfinancing allocations, as announced under the Selangor Budget 2026 and the Selangor Resilience Strengthening Package Phase 2. Since the pilot phase's inception in January 2025, DANA PLUS has received 4,436 applications, with 3,237 approvals and financing surpassing RM70 million. The approval rate for financing up to RM10,000 has reached 82.9 per cent, showcasing the effectiveness of the digital approach.
From 2015 until June this year, Hijrah Selangor has facilitated 94,500 financing transactions for over 62,400 entrepreneurs, totaling RM921 million. The microfinancing programme has been instrumental in helping more than 64,000 entrepreneurs avoid illegal moneylenders, or "ah long," since its introduction in 2015. Amirudin emphasized the role of Hijrah Selangor's financing in preventing small traders from resorting to high-interest loans from loan sharks, thus safeguarding them from financial risks.