Page 12 - Berita Sunway - Issue 69

s retailers were forced to close their doors to contain the spread NAVIGATING E-COMMERCE WITH THE DIGITAL EXPERTS
of COVID-19, one of the biggest concerns, especially among non-
Aessential businesses, was how to compensate for in-store revenue While there is no cheat sheet for e-commerce success, a structured
loss. Companies with digital presence were able to capitalise on curriculum and mentorship from digital experts will go far in
business opportunities otherwise lost from having to steering a company in the right direction.
shut down their physical operations.
Helping Malaysian retail and SMEs kickstart
To drive consumer demand and assist their digital transformational journey
companies facing difficulties in IN CASE YOU MISSED IT during the COVID-19 economy
adopting e-commerce during are Sunway iLabs and Sunway
the pandemic, the Malaysian University, which launched
government launched the PIVOTING IN the eCommerce Jumpstart
Penjana Short-Term Programme in April.
Recovery Plan, which
includes a RM700 The initiative, features a
transformation of COVID-19 ing programme to help
million allocation for
free four-week train-
grants and loans to
local
encourage
businesses get online,
invest
to
firms
was held in partner-
digital
in
the
ship with industry
their businesses. leaders, government
agencies and digital
Under Penjana, JUMPSTART YOUR BUSINESS’ specialists.
the government Through virtual
will also provide lectures, talks and
RM140 million in ONLINE PRESENCE workshops, the invit-
matching grants ed speakers shared
under the Malaysia about e-commerce
Digital Economy strategy, pragmatic
Corporation (MDEC) steps to getting busi-
for technological If there was any takeaway from the COVID-19 pandemic, it nesses online and digi-
training, seller would be how crucial it is for local businesses to employ a tal marketing.
subsidies and sales
assistance. brick-and-click strategy to survive ‘the new normal’ Among the speakers
were Sunway Group Chief
For the ‘Shop Malaysia Innovation Officer and
Online’ campaign, where Sunway iLabs Director
various e-commerce platforms We want to Matt Van Leeuwen,
will be given promotional codes Alibaba Group Vice-
and discount vouchers to incentivise help businesses that President Brian Wong,
Malaysians to shop online, the government are not online to get an Lazada Co-Founder
has allocated RM70 million, an amount that will online presence for their Hans-Peter Ressel,
be matched by the private sector. survival, and help them Fave Co-Founder Yeoh
Chen Chow, AirAsia
As more companies have been allowed to operate under the emerge stronger. OURSHOP CEO Lalitha
current RMCO, Malaysian businesses will do well to leverage Sivanaser, TheLorry Co-
the government’s incentives and invest in e-commerce Founder Nadhir Ashafiq,
to maximise their business potential, as Malaysians AVANA CEO Luqman Adris,
continue to stay home and practise social distancing Shopline Country Manager
where possible to curb COVID-19 infections. Eileen Feng, Commerce Asia Founder
Ganesh Kumar Bangah, Kumoten
CEO Isaac Leong, Red Dino Ventures
Founder Wong Kim Yoong, as well as
representatives from MDEC and Sunway
University respectively.
The programme culminated with a
Scan here for quiz challenge, where Choo Chia Poh,
more information a digital platform manager, won a
100% fee waiver worth RM12,500 for
the Alibaba Global eCommerce Talent
For more information on the Sunway (GET) Programme, which includes
iLabs Accelerator Programme, visit access to Alibaba’s global ecosystem
https://innovationlabs.sunway.edu.my/ and resources, as well as opportunity
accelerator/ to join the Sunway iLabs Accelerator
Programme.

12 | BERITA SUNWAY | JUL—SEP 2020