Comment by Leo Chow, Chief Executive Officer, Lazada Malaysia:
Lazada Malaysia applauds the Government’s efforts towards developing a holistic ecosystem for all Malaysians to remain at the forefront of the digital economy. With a large number of Malaysian SMEs still in the early stages of digital maturity, we believe that the way forward is to focus on the professional development of SMEs which begins with the adoption of digital tools and channels.
Lazada also welcomes the development of infrastructure to improve connectivity and accessibility to increase the adoption of eCommerce and facilitate the transfer of goods. Initiatives such as the National Fibre Connectivity Plan (NFCP) play a huge role in the growth of eCommerce, as reliable and affordable connectivity empowers the next generation of entrepreneurs from previously unconnected areas.
As we have observed a significant growth in sellers outside of major cities in the last 12 months, we believe that developments such as the Trans Borneo Highway will further boost digital entrepreneurship in lessconnected areas, and increase the availability of logistics solutions in the vast states of Sabah and Sarawak.
With a growing number of our customers choosing cashless payment methods, we support the Government’s initiative to increase the adoption of eWallets via the one-time digital stimulus. During Lazada’s recent 9.9 sale, we saw the Lazada Wallet being used 14x more that the same period in 2018.
As an equal opportunity employer, Lazada is also pleased to see the Government introducing initiatives to empower more women to take up entrepreneurial roles and increase their participation in the labour force as key contributors to the country’s economy. Close to 53% of Lazada Malaysia’s employees are women, and we continue to support women’s career advancement and ensure equal development opportunities in the workplace and the digital marketplace.