Small Businesses Grab-Bing The Chance To Expand Online

      By Ebi Azly Abdullah

ALAN Tan, owner of Yong Peng Fishball in Melaka, is an advocate of using technology to stay relevant as a small business. He joined GrabFood during the first Movement Control Order (MCO) last year when his shop lost nearly half of its walk-in customers.

Fazaitul Akhma Zainal Abidin, who took over from her father to run the famous Nasi Lemak Tanglin in Kuala Lumpur, implemented various strategies, including joining GrabFood, believing that going online will help her business, and thus far, has not been disappointed.

Since the MCO, Grab has helped accelerate the digitalisation of thousands of MSMEs, from mom-and-pop stores, wet market traders to food court hawkers.

Going online has enabled them to remain resilient and experience growth through access to millions of customers.

In this new normal, the government’s focus on the digital economy is crucial as it penetrates all sectors of the economy, and going digital is the way to remain relevant.

Digital economies rely on a well-connected infrastructure. In addition to relatively high Internet penetration in the country, we also have a strong transport, logistic and supply chain network, security and a resilient economy.

The imminent focus on accelerating a 5G network will further allow these benefits to be accrued and expanded.

Moving forward, the establishment of the Digital Investment Office to coordinate and facilitate all digital investments in Malaysia is a promising step to attract high-quality investments in the digital economy.

The role of the private sector is key in driving this growth engine. Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of drivers, delivery partners and merchants are earning income on the Grab platform.

Harnessing the power of business and working together with the government, through public-private partnerships, will help people and MSMEs to adapt, innovate and pivot to more productive participation in the digital economy.

Grab is thus excited for more partnerships with the government, including in implementing the National e-Commerce Strategic Roadmap 2.0 to boost the growth of the e-commerce ecosystem.

In addition to digitalising government services through a one-stop centre, there must be a concerted effort to streamline existing and new regulations.

In this regard, the government can create a digital government sandbox, leveraging technology to boost service delivery.

This can be part of the National Technology Innovation Sandbox under the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry as a safe testing ground for new technology-based regulations.

These sandboxes will enable the private sector to carry some of the load in delivering against the strategy and be partners in the process.

For example, for the proposed p-hailing regulations, there are clear opportunities to achieve win-win outcomes for stakeholders.

As compared with the implementation of e-hailing regulations in 2019, we hope to see more streamlined processes and better coordination among government agencies this time.

For a start, the government can partner with the private sector for a pilot scheme on digitalising regulations for transport and other possible policy changes.

Processes can be streamlined and made more convenient, through digital quality control, digital learning, and digital licensing and enforcement. Drivers can save their time and costs while safeguarding their health and safety.

These will raise the bar on quality checks, with the help of rich data accumulated over time, allowing them to better protect the quality of e-hailing for the benefit of passengers and the community.

Imposing fewer restrictions on technology companies unleashes innovative models and synergies, thereby increasing competitiveness.

Lastly, a thriving digital economy can happen if the people also get involved in the process.

While Malaysians as a whole are savvy in capturing opportunities in the digital economy, we need the right culture and mindsets to implement a digital transformation.

The public and private sectors must play their parts to shape the narrative and drive execution.

We are excited about a digitally-driven Malaysia and look forward to playing a key role as a partner in national digitalisation.

We wish to see more small businesses like Yong Peng Fishball and Nasi Lemak Tanglin thrive in the digital economy, as we help drive the country forward in this journey. – NST ONLINE

• The writer is director, public affairs and policy, Grab Malaysia