The award’s uniqueness lies in our thorough understanding of the needs and strength of SMEs, whereby the Organizer believes that jack of all trades will not project the distinctive value and position of any business entities. It is vital to focus and emphasize every business’s core competency and unique selling proposition. This believes then helps shaped the design of the SME Recognition Award, which is an award custom-made to honor SMEs at their best based on competitive strength, which is bestowed through 16 different categories, 88 winners. The categories are:

1. SME Platinum Award
2. SME Achievers Award
3. Sahabat SME Award
4. SME Best Overall Award
5. SME Innovation Excellence Award
6. SME Export Excellence Award
7. SME ICT Adoption Award
8. SME Women Entrepreneur Award
9. SME Phoenix Award
10. SME Product Excellence Award
11. SME Service Excellence Award
12. SME Brand Excellence Award
13. SME Rising Star Award
14. SME Young Entrepreneur Award
15. SME Social Responsibility Excellence Award
16. Government-Linked Enterprise Excellence Award

A special highlight on this year’s three new awards -- the SME Young Entrepreneur Award, which highlight Malaysia’s best and brightest young businessman and woman below the age of 40; and SME Social Responsibility Excellence Award, aiming to salute the year’s most outstanding communication initiatives and programs in the highly competitive and dynamic corporate social responsibility arena with attention to social and environmental concerns in addition to economic goals; and Government-linked Enterprise Excellence Award, This award is bestowed on fully or semi corporatised GLC agencies or corporations that continue to excel.