‘Minister WiFi’ urged to improve Sabah’s infranet
KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Raymond Tan Shu Kiah wants ‘Minister WiFi' to further improve the state's infranet so that the path towards Digital 4.0 can be truly carved for businesses in Sabah.
Referring to the federal Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Minister, Raymond said the infranet, telecommunications network backbone, in Sabah must cater to the state government's call for businesses to embrace the digital economy.
“We want the excitement of having yourself involved and, yet, you are disappointed because the areas that you go do not have WiFi or there is WiFi depending on where you stand and the terrible internet speed level,” he said, when officiating at the Sabah Digital Economy Symposium 2017 at Tanjung Aru here yesterday.
“We have been talking about not just improving all the infrastructures needed for use within Sabah, but we are also talking about improving our (Multimedia) Super Corridor. We also need to look at developing our own superhighway with one or two development that will be connected with the United States, in terms of servicing of internet.
“These will be the infrastructures that the government need to do. So you need to help me, that when you get to see the 'Minister WiFi', be brave enough to tell him there is no (internet) service yet,” he said in jest.
Earlier on during his speech, Raymond stressed that the digitalization of businesses in Sabah must also be backed by solid physical processes and logistics roots.
“But if you cannot handle the delivery, you cannot handle the processing, you cannot just be making online sales. It doesn't work that way,” he said.
Raymond also wants Sabah to develop the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) into a Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ).
“We also want to incorporate a place where logistics are available, a place where it (purchases) and the delivery (of packages) can be processed. So that is why I think KKIP would be appropriate because it is next to the (Sepanggar) Port,” said the Deputy Chief Minister.
“It has its logistics, all the warehousing are there, and the distribution centres, processing needs, we have them in KKIP. We need upscale the technology so they (businesses) can be able to use this internet to do internet business and there you have it,” he added at the event.
The symposium was organized for the first time by Sabah Computer Society (SCS) to bring knowledge about Digital Economy and e-Commerce to local industries in Sabah.
SCS president, Karen Wong, emphasized that many major traditional retail corporations needed to turn to the cyber world in order to survive the obstacles and buying trends of today.
“Many have to downsize their retail outlet and started to follow the digital edge by implementing online selling via the internet in order to survive. When you can't beat them, you better join them,” she advised.
“e-Commerce is the key component of the digital economy. With this in mind, Sabah Computer Society took up the challenge to organize today's Digital Economy Symposium in hopes of providing the essential insights to many of our local entrepreneurs to embrace this digital revolution with a better understanding,” added Wong.
Among the international panel of speakers were 28mall.com and eOneNet.com co-founder Fione Tan, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Seller Adoption head, Carol Fung, Lelong.my Kuala Lumpur general manager, Adrian Foong, MOLPay business development head, John Lim, and ABX Express executive director, Tan Chong Yian.