Malaysia must build efficient e-commerce infrastructure and system: Gobind

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must build a resilient, inclusive and efficient e-commerce infrastructure and system as a strategic platform for socio-economic development, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo (pix).
He said e-commerce was a game changer which empowered the micro, small and medium enterprises to expand their businesses beyond their borders through a global supply chain.
"With more products available in the marketplace and conveniently accessible by global citizens, e-commerce will drive the postal and courier industry to new service levels and subsequently, new heights for the industry," he said in his keynote address at the E-Commerce Delivery Awards 2018, here tonight.
Saying there's a mission to build a seamless system to achieve the level of e-commerce efficiency, he said a different level of connectivity was needed if Malaysia wanted to succeed in this digital era as the nation, corporations and people competed in today's borderless world.
"As such, we must redefine connectivity both in the realm of broadband and fulfilment services to enable us to maximise the benefits of the digital economy," he stressed.
Gobind Singh said the ministry acknowledged the strategic role the postal and courier industry played in increasingly converging industries, particularly in e-commerce.
"As such, it is important for the ministry, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the industry to chart the future of this industry together by raising industry standards and providing quality and ubiquitous connectivity," he said.
He said e-commerce in Malaysia was still in the early stages of development and the trend of e-commerce in the country demanded the ministry to establish a bold vision and strategic plan for the postal and courier service industry.
"Our Courier Express Parcel (CEP) volume per capita currently is only five packages and Malaysia could reach a potential level of CEP per capita between 20 and 30 packages, or a market of about one billion packages annually by 2025," he said.
He said that was a prudent forecast as China had already surpassed 23 CEP per capita and a higher number had been recorded in developed countries such as the United Kingdom (33) and Germany (34) while in Thailand, the biggest courier company currently handled about one million packages a day.
In Malaysia, the biggest courier currently handled approximately 600,000 packages a day during peak season such as the Hari Raya period.
"This trend demands the ministry establishes a bold vision and strategic plan for the postal and courier service industry guided by high-level policy objectives," he said.
Amongst the high-level policy objectives included to modernise the policy, the regulation and provision of universal postal services taking into consideration the needs of the Malaysian society as well as to promote fair competition, growth and innovation by raising the bar through licensing instruments.
"Other than that, (it is also) to nurture a high level of consumer confidence through enforcement of minimum-quality service standards and to put in place security measures, as this industry acts as the nation's first line of defence in the battle against dangerous and prohibited goods.
"(It is also) to enhance the productivity levels of workforce through automation, proper training, and use of technology," he said. — Bernama