THE Covid-19 pandemic has put millions of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Southeast Asia in peril. This may be one of the biggest tragedies resulting from this pandemic given the size of the sector in the region.

MSMEs are considered crucial to the future economic success of many Southeast Asian (SEA) countries. MSMEs have been growing rapidly in the past decade owing to thriving environments, and they account for almost all of the establishments in Southeast Asia and contribute between 52 and 97 percent of employment in the region.