THE SKY’S THE LIMIT
After DFTZ launch, 24-carat gold replica of a ship called ‘Sail of Fortune’ sells for RM122,000 via online charity auction
THE highly-anticipated Digital Free Trade Zone went ‘live’ at 5.06pm yesterday. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who launched the initiative, says DFTZ will create 60,000 new jobs, double the exports for local SMEs to RM160 billion by 2025, and redefine global trade.
MALAYSIA will become the first country to be promoted online by Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma for one week next year. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said Ma had agreed to promote Malaysian products to Chinese consumers.
“In a car ride with Jack just now, he told me that he wanted to have a ‘Malaysian week’ next year to promote Malaysia online to Chinese consumers.
“They will hear about Malaysia, its food, products, cultures and places to visit. Jack is so much in demand and many countries want him to promote their countries. But he wants to make Malaysia the first,” he said to loud applause before Malaysia’s Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) went live at 5.06pm.
The prime minister was upbeat by the great impact and outlook that DFTZ would have on Malaysia’s economy and its people, especially small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).
He said through DFTZ, 60,000 jobs would be created by 2025, and SME exports would reach US$38 billion (RM160.95 billion).
“Why do we do this (the DFTZ initiative)? We want to redefine global trade. We want to be the leader, of course, together with China and with Alibaba.
“DFTZ will be the leader in the region and a major trans-shipment hub. We do it because we want to promote SMEs,” he said, adding that the country did not want to be left behind in the fastpaced global competition.
Najib said in the beginning, Malaysia had set a target of getting 1,500 SMEs to be part of the DFTZ initiative, and the relevant authorities had deemed it tough to secure the target.
“But now, we have 1,972 SMEs and many more are coming. The people are excited about it.”
Najib shared his experience of meeting some 4,000 young entrepreneurs, who had told him that their sales via e-commerce had not only doubled, but grown by leaps and bounds.
Najib said the government was committed to ramping up the country’s growth.
“We have made it. We have proven to Jack that the Malaysian government can work just as fast as Alibaba.”
Najib said he wanted the DFTZ to be one of the nation’s iconic projects, adding that Digital Malaysia would be the fastest growing sector for the economy.
He also said he was impressed by the state-of-the-art warehouse at the KLIA Air Cargo Terminal 1, which he inspected with Ma yesterday.
“We saw robots at work. Apparently, if you don’t use robots, you need 60 people there.”
When DFTZ went live, the big screen on stage lit up, displaying an online bidding for a 24-carat gold replica of a ship called the “Sail of Fortune” via the Tmall ecommerce platform. It took just one minute for the item to be sold for RM122,000. The money will be donated to charity.
In a live chat later, Najib said he wanted to continue his father’s legacy to develop the country.
“My late father wanted to modernise Malaysia and develop rural areas, besides bringing in new industries. Unfortunately, he didn’t live long enough. He died at 54.
“Now, God has blessed me with the opportunity. I want to play the ultimate role in bringing Malaysia to the ranks of the top 20 nations. I am confident that with the support of the people, God willing, we will.” Page 1 pic: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Alibaba group founder and executive chairman Jack Ma launching the DFTZ in Sepang yesterday.