Over 1,900 SMEs sign up for DFTZ to seize global opportunities

KUALA LUMPUR: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are making a beeline for the Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ), which will be opened on Friday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the e-hub set up with China’s Alibaba Group and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) initially targeted to rope in 1,500 SMEs to be involved in the DFTZ.

“I was told that we could get 1,500 SMEs, but we now have more than 1,900 companies.

“This means that nearly 2,000 SMEs stand to get easier access to the global market, especially the Chinese market,” Najib told a dialogue session with 4,000 people who took part in the 2017 eUsahawan Conference here. The event was organised by MDEC.

Also present was MDEC chief executive officer Datuk Yasmin Mahmood.

The Prime Minister launched the DFTZ in March and according to Alibaba Group executive chairman Jack Ma, it will be the first outside of China.

The DFTZ is meant to help SMEs reach global markets by lowering trade barriers.

Najib encouraged more Malaysians to go into e-business and take up the opportunities offered by the DFTZ.

He added that e-businesses could help to create a generation of empowered Malaysians who could create their own wealth instead of relying on subsidies.

As such, the Government will continue to support programmes such as eUsahawan and eRezeki, a platform for digital workers to earn from online businesses.

“I consider the younger generation as those who are no longer satisfied with being mere employees, but who want to take up the challenge of creating their own wealth.

“This new generation will make a success of the new Malaysia, whose main thrust will be the digital economy,” said Najib.