Jack Ma launches Malaysian office

KUALA LUMPUR: Alibaba Group has opened its national office here – its first in South-East Asia – marking a new chapter in the company’s strategic cooperation with Malaysia, which housed the group’s first overseas electronic world trade platform (eWTP) hub.

Jack Ma, the executive chairman and founder of Alibaba Group, China’s leading e-commerce company, flew here to open the group’s office after meeting Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Ma said he is confident about China-Malaysia relations after meeting Dr Mahathir, adding: “I am also confident in Malaysia’s small businesses and young people.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony, he said the new office would be a training centre for Malaysians. The office will also serve as a one-stop solution centre as well as to help Malaysian businesses identify global cross-border trade opportunities and provide cloud computing services.

Other guests of honour were Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo and Chinese ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian.

Lim welcomed Alibaba’s continued commitment to Malaysia and was appreciative of the group’s eagerness to work with the Government to help spur new investments, jobs and economic opportunities for Malaysians

During the opening ceremony, Ma also announced the launch of “Malaysia Week” next month, a special online promotion initiative that seeks to promote Malaysian products.

Ma said this was a first for the company and he hoped the campaign would continue for the next 10 years.