GEORGE TOWN: Malaysian products could soon reach a wider global market through cooperation with large Chinese e-commerce companies, says Steven Sim (pic).
The Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister said the government intends to work with major Chinese e-commerce platforms to help local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sell their products in China and other overseas markets.
“We want to work with large Chinese e-commerce companies through a more systematic approach to help Malaysian businesses enter not only the Chinese market but other overseas markets.
“This is because these e-commerce platforms are global,” he said after a roundtable discussion here yesterday.
Sim said SME Corp Malaysia has been tasked with coordinating the effort, including listing and promoting Malaysian products on the platforms and securing the necessary permits.
He said SME Corp has already begun talks with a Chinese e-commerce company on the proposed cooperation.
The move follows Sim’s recent visit to Guangzhou, where he led 12 Malaysian companies to the China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair and attended the APEC SME Ministerial Meeting.
He visited several Chinese e-commerce companies during the trip to explore ways for Malaysian SMEs to reach overseas buyers.
Sim noted that cross-border e-commerce is not just about importing goods, but also involves two-way trade.
“If we allow e-commerce platforms to bring foreign goods into Malaysia, we must use these channels to export Malaysian products and brands as well,” he said.
On foreign e-commerce businesses operating in Malaysia, Sim said an inter-agency committee led by the Finance Ministry is handling enforcement, support for local businesses and policy changes.
He said action would be taken against foreign businesses that contravened local laws, operated without permits or misused visas.
The government had also recently decided that foreign e-commerce platforms operating in Malaysia must register a company here, he added.
“This is for local accountability.
“If consumers buy something and cannot find anyone to turn to, there must be a Malaysian company that we can hold accountable,” he said.
Sim said this requirement would help protect consumers, particularly those buying electrical products and food items through such platforms.
He added that the measure would ensure foreign sellers faced similar requirements to their local counterparts.
“We are not asking to give local businesses an advantage. We are asking for an equal playing field,” said Sim.
