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Sarawak to come out with state masterplan for e-commerce

Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg says Sarawak has identified e-commerce as a key enabler towards its goal of reaching high-income status by 2030 and businesses need to adopt new technologies to cater to a global market. — Bernama pic
Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg says Sarawak has identified e-commerce as a key enabler towards its goal of reaching high-income status by 2030 and businesses need to adopt new technologies to cater to a global market. — Bernama pic

KUCHING, Oct 15 ― Sarawak will develop a masterplan to help local entrepreneurs make the leap to electronic commerce, Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg said today.

He said the state has identified e-commerce as a key enabler towards its goal of reaching high-income status by 2030 and businesses need to adopt new technologies to cater to a global market.

“E-commerce has become a vital business trend due to the advancement of ICT and digital technology, making eCommerce easily adoptable by the public at large.

“More importantly, we are now living in the global village where we can do cross border business more easily with the assistance of Internet of Things and globalisation,” he said in his speech at the launch of the E-commerce Forum 2019 here.

His speech text was read by Assistant Minister for International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Naroden Majais.

In the speech, Abang Johari said the state government is investingRM1 billion on ICT infrastructure, especially telecommunication towers to enhance and widen internet coverage.

He added that other infrastructure will also be developed alongside, namely roads, transport and logistics.

“Therefore, the state government is also investing heavily in building access road to connect our towns and settlements especially to the rural areas, but It will take time but as a responsible Gabungan Parti Sarawak government we are committed to fulfil this obligation,” he said.

Abang Johari said Sarawakians should not limit themselves as the future of e-commerce was very bright.

He noted that Sarawakians themselves spent about RM19.42 million shopping online through platforms like Zalora, Lelong.com and Qoo10, last year.

“Most of the items our society purchase online is women’s clothing and I believe the amount is much more if we are able to collect data from other marketplace and social media platforms,” he added.

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