Kojasa Mart to open outlets in four districts

KOTA KINABALU: Kojasa, a once popular retail outlet has been rebranded and will be making a return to Sabah under a new name, Kojasa Mart.

Kojasa which was acquired by Warisan Harta Sabah Sdn Bhd (Whssb) in 2015 will also be going digital through a partnership with EPost, an online platform that serves the e-commerce logistics services connecting business to consumer in domestic and international markets.

Through the partnership with Epost, Kojasa Mart will be centralizing on operations without the intermediary of middleman in the business supply chain.

Epost’s digital approach in ecommerce and digitalizing end to end supply chain is mostly welcome in this internet era, Whssb said in a press release on Saturday.

It added that two of the main objectives for setting up Kojasa Mart is to help Sabahans by creating a platform for local entrepreneurs to market their products and for people to get cheaper prices on quality essential goods.

Epost, it said, is the technology enabler company in Malaysia, with their expertise, Kojasa Mart can bring brands and retailers to go digital and move closer to consumers by creating a friendly virtual market place (apps) for this business venture.

Meanwhile, Whssb chief executive officer Ahmad Rizal Dahli who was met after signing a memorandum of understanding with Epost yesterday said the investment for Kojasa Mart was between RM30 million and RM40 million.

“We will be opening up Kojasa Mart outlets in several areas throughout the state. We are starting in Inanam and the outlet there will be operational in about two months’ time,” he said.

Ahmad Rizal added that as a start, they are targeting to open up Kojasa Mart outlets in four major districts in Sabah by the end of this year.

According to him the outlets will be using AI to see what are popular items and sell them on the premises.

Kojasa Mart, he said also aims to be the supplier as well as wholesaler for small sundry businesses.

“As we have the warehouse facility, we can become the wholesaler. The sundry shop owners can order what they want online and we will deliver to them. We want to market local produce and cut out middle men.

“We also try to make our operational cost lean and provide efficient service,” he said.

The MoU signing ceremony was witnessed by Whssb chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Salleh Said Keruak. Representing Epost were Tobin Ng and Mandy Chan.

From left: Kojasa Holdings director Hj Yahya bin Ahmad, Whssb executive director Haji Mohd Shukor Abdul Mumin, Whssb chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Md. Salleh Said Keruak, Epost’sTobin Ng, Whssb CEO Ahmad Rizal Dahli, Industrial Development Ministry deputy permanent secretary Tseu Kei Yue and Kojasa Holdings director Shamsuddin Erang at the ribbon cutting ceremony.