Malaysia is a good fit for Jack Ma

JACK Ma of Alibaba fame was in Malaysia recently. This morning, in the Borders Bookshop in Mid Valley, I caught sight of a book on him published by Kanyin and without hesitation I bought a copy. I, like many others, want to know more about him and his success story.

His personal success is synonymous with China’s phenomenal rise and growth, all within two to three decades. His impish smile belies a man who is tough, savvy and knows how to conquer the world. His success is there for the world to see.

Somehow Ma has a liking and affinity for Malaysia. He and our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak seem to get along very well. Ma wants to help Malaysia thrive. Perhaps it is because his surname is also a component of the name for Malaysia in Mandarin.

Anyway, he sees Malaysia’s strategic location in this part of the world straddling between China, Japan and Korea in the East, and Europe, India and the Middle East in the West. Malaysia is befitting of its tagline “Malaysia, Truly Asia”. Our cultural diversity, our proficiency in English and common law legal system, make Malaysia’s DNA just right for a borderless world. Our location along the Straits of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest waterways, is also an added advantage. Jack Ma knows a gem when he sees one.

With his help, Malaysia will be a hub in e-commerce. More warehouses will be built for logistic purposes and in the process more jobs will be created. This is good for our country.

PM Najib knows we cannot depend on oil and gas alone to increase our revenue, we have to reinvent ourselves and he sees the potential of e-commerce. He knows the right man to turn to and somehow Jack Ma is more than willing to assist. Both of them have the right chemistry. Global trade has a new dimension and Malaysia’s newly established Digital Free Trade Zone will usher Malaysia into a new era of global trade.