KUCHING: The Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development (Mintred) will be launching its first e-commerce platform masterplan to motivate entrepreneurs venturing into digital economy.
Its Assistant Minister Datuk Naroden Majais said the ministry had finalised the development of the e-commerce platform and would be launching it this month after Gawai.
“My ministry and Sarawak Multimedia Authority have come up with new programmes to help entrepreneurs sell products online via one common e-commerce platform.
“We are developing a platform which only requires simple registration of companies with one common address. The platform will enable entrepreneurs to develop their own marketing, buying and selling platforms similar to Lazada and Lelong,” he said in a statement issued yesterday.
“During the last two months when the world is battling the Covid-19 pandemic, everybody is talking about online businesses.
“Many businesses started looking for e-hailing food delivery services during Ramadan and Gawai.
‘Online platforms, undoubtedly, are the best way for business to continue its operation during this situation when social distancing is enforced,” he added.
Highlighting the opportunities to expand business via online platforms, Naroden pointed out the state government had initiated the ‘Bazaar Ramadan Online Sarawakku Sayang’ (BROSS) online platform to help entrepreneurs who used to sell food and beverages at Ramadan bazaars or roadside stalls to venture into online businesses.
“We also have witnessed the emergence of a few online platforms like BROSS using Sarawak pay payments system and the emergence of e-hailing food delivery companies in Sarawak including FoodPanda, GrabFood, Helpy and a few others.
On Internet facilities, Naroden commended the efforts of both the state and federal governments to develop more communication towers in the state, especially in the rural and interior areas.
“Definitely, we need internet services and technologies or gadgets in our hands. Thus, our chief minister has pledged to erect more telecommunication towers throughout the state, particularly in the rural and interior areas with a total allocation of RM1 billion.
“It may take some time to complete but what is more important is the state government has approved the project since 2018.
“This clearly shows how serious the chief minister is in leading Sarawak people in the right direction and for the betterment of our state,” he said.
Naroden also called upon all entrepreneurs, especially those in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to embrace this new norm in doing business during this CMCO period.
“My ministry will start our promotional and awareness programmes online through video conferencing after this year’s Gawai.
