More entrepreneurs should boldly venture into online businesses as doing so would enable them to penetrate the wide global market, Second Finance Minister and Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh advised.

He said there are various online applications to promote their products and services to people around the world.

“In the state, the government has provided various infrastructures and facilities to help entrepreneurs in their online business such as the incubator centre which is Borneo 744 under MaGIC and also innovation hub by Tegas,” he said at the launching of Sibu Division Online Marketing Workshop at a hotel here yesterday.

His text of speech was read by chief assistant secretary to the Ministry of International Trade and E-Commerce, Mering Wan.

According to Wong, the government has also provided grant incentives such as RM15,000 under the TUBE programme by SME Corp to newly selected entrepreneurs.

Other incentives include eTrade by Matrade, eRezeki and eUsahawan by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (Mdec) and so forth, he said.

He added: “Lately, Miri City Council (MCC) announced that they will establish an e-commerce website to market local craft products.

“I think this is a good initiative and at the same time we can promote the culture of Sarawak to the people in the world through this digital economy platform.”

According to him, Lazada is among the popular e-commerce companies in Malaysia besides Zalora and 11 Street.

He said the ranking was based on the traffic to the website, their staff strength and number of followers on social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

As an example, he said through iPrice, Lazada received about 29 million visitors every month while 11 Street received about nine million every month.

He said Lazada allows buyers to compare prices while helping entrepreneurs to market their products to a wider market.

“Among the benefits of online business are lower capital and smaller manpower.

“Technology today enables internet users to shop anytime and anywhere.

“In short, online businesses have made transaction easier not only for the customers but for the entrepreneurs as well.

“With the help from and monitoring by the government, online businesses can produce many millionaires and make everyday living much easier for the people,” he quipped.

On the workshop, Wong hoped that it would help entrepreneurs wishing to venture into online business to strengthen their marketing strategies.

Also present at the event were programme chief facilitator Mohd Akhbar Sahmoni and Awang Mohd Nizzam Awang Ali Borhan, who represented the Sibu Resident.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Jane Moh

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