GEORGE TOWN, July 14 — The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) is developing an e-commerce system in order to reduce the prices of essential goods, and help to cope with the rising cost of living.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, said the system was being developed by a special team in his ministry and he is personally monitoring and scrutinising the development progress of the system.
“The National Cost Of Living Action Council (Naccol) meeting recently agreed for KPDNHEP to develop the system to sell consumer goods directly to consumers in order to reduce the price of goods and at the same time the cost of living can also be reduced.
“I cannot tell when the system can be used but we will make some trials before it can be used by the public,” he told reporters after opening the Asean Product Trade Centre (APTC), here today.
He said the ministry also learned a lot from an e-commerce company in China during his visit there last February and 20 KPDNHEP top officials were also sent for a two-week course.
Saifuddin said the company sold a range of essential and sundry items at low prices and his ministry also learned ways to reduce costs so that the goods could be sold cheaply.
According to him, the goods in this country were being sold at high prices because they went through several business layers before reaching consumers.
Earlier in his speech, Saifuddin Nasution said KPDNHEP welcomed the initiative of Suiwah Corporation Berhad to gather product manufacturers at APTC to expand their trade to China.
He said APTC is a place to showcase Malaysian products and will be visited by traders from overseas, especially China, indirectly making APTC a one-stop sourcing centre.
“Efforts by individuals to extend business opportunities to China are not always successful and may require more resources and capital so Suiwah’s efforts should be commended as they join forces and resources with traders and manufacturers in Malaysia to hold APTCs,” he said.
Malaysia will also send 2,000 products to showcase in China in conjunction with the expo there in September and APTC is a good opportunity to attract more traders and manufacturers to expand their business overseas. — Bernama
