MDEC launches Shop Malaysia to do its part in spurring Malaysian economy

The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has launched Shop Malaysia Online, an eCommerce initiative introduced under the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA). Shop Malaysia Online is part of the government’s initiative to spur economic recovery by stimulating online consumption through eCommerce promotions executed via a public-private partnership model.

It aims to motivate more consumers to use eCommerce and encourage existing eCommerce consumers to increase their spend with local online sellers. Throughout this campaign, discount vouchers will be given out on various eCommerce platforms for consumers to redeem. The 22 eCommerce partners include Boost, Carousell, ConfirmPlusChop, DeliverEat, Elokal, eRomman, FashionValet, Fave, foodpanda, Grab, JOCOM, Kedai Matdespatch, Lazada, Lokein, Maybank, MyGroser, OURSHOP, PG Mall, Shopee, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, Youbeli and Zalora.

The government has allocated RM70 million under PENJANA to implement Shop Malaysia Online, with MDEC as the lead agency to implement this initiative. All the participating eCommerce partners will collectively match the government’s RM70 million, making it a total of RM140 million to drive the various sales promotions under the Shop Malaysia Online.

MDEC’s CEO, Surina Shukri said the consumer behavior had rapidly changed since the COVID-19 outbreak, affecting many eCommerce businesses and how consumers shopped online, adding that supporting local businesses was paramount as the country moved into recovery period.

“By helping Malaysian sellers make the digital leap and evolve into digitally-powered businesses, we hope to bolster Malaysians’ confidence to participate in the digital economy and overcome the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is MDEC’s responsibility together with e-commerce partners to lend support in times like this to facilitate the MSMEs’ shift to e-commerce and help them to navigate in this new business environment,” Surina added.

With the PENJANA e-commerce initiatives and other ongoing programmes, MDEC looks forward to further catalyse eCommerce uptake among Malaysian consumers and businesses.

Separately, many other brands have been participating to drive the PENJANA initiative. In June, foodpanda partnered with the government to facilitate the digitisation of micro enterprises and SMEs and to encourage consumers digital spending. Recently in August, payment solution GrabPay jumped on board the Malaysian government’s ePENJANA initiative, aimed at providing Malaysians a safe payment method that offered more value when users shopped cashless for household essentials such as groceries, pharmacies, food, electronics and hardware across the nation.

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