SAINS: We have no more ties with dBazzar e-commerce platform

KUCHING: Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS) and its subsidiary SiliconNet Technologies Sdn Bhd (SNT) have no legal or financial obligation or any other form of involvement or association with dBazzar Sdn Bhd (DBSB) since the termination of their agreement early this year.

In a statement yesterday, SAINS said together with SNT, they did enter into an agreement with DBSB to collaborate on an e-commerce business called dBazzar in April 2021.

Under the agreement, SAINS said it was responsible for the provision of application hosting services and technical support, whereas SNT provided S Pay Global as the exclusive payment gateway for the mobile application-based e-commerce platform known as ‘dBazzar.com’, owned by DBSB.

“This agreement was breached by DBSB in the third quarter of 2023. In September 2023, SAINS divested its shares in DBSB and effectively terminated its provision of S Pay Global payment gateway to DBSB earlier this year.

“Pursuant to the termination of the agreement, henceforth SAINS and SNT no longer have any legal or financial obligation or any other form of involvement or association with DBSB,” it said.

The statement was issued in response to recent developments concerning SAINS’ collaboration with DBSB.

SAINS said that it was necessary to address concerns that had recently been raised by the local community.

“We understand the importance of transparency and wish to provide clarity regarding our involvement in this matter.”

Recently, Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen said he had submitted an emergency motion in the Parliament to discuss the dBazzar e-commerce platform issue.

Chong said the dBazzar ecommerce platform was endorsed by the state government in November 2021, and that SAINS – a state government agency – had a 10 per cent share in the company then.

Chong said many dBazzar users in February this year discovered that the money they paid to dBazzar did not go to the purpose for which their money was paid, and that they could not withdraw their funds from the platform.

“As a result, it is estimated that hundreds of Sarawakians, if not thousands, have millions of their money stuck in DBSB. Investigation into the company showed that SAINS has actually transferred out all its 10 per cent shares in DBSB sometime in January 2024,” he said.

Chong added that many dBazzar users had lodged police reports for fear that their money might be totally lost.