By Selangor Journal Team
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Participants of the Top E-commerce and Merchant (Top ECM) Awards 2023 have achieved an unprecedented RM77.5 million in sales, making it the highest figure in the award’s eight-year history.
Organised by the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec), this year sees 602 participants, representing a 36.8 per cent increase compared to the 440 applicants who recorded RM58.9 million in total sales last year.
Speaking at the event, state executive councillor for local government, public transport, and New Village development Ng Sze Han said the awards have solidified Selangor’s leading role in adopting digital technologies for business operations.
He said this is aligned with the state government’s efforts to transform Selangor into a regional e-commerce hub.
“With the aim of becoming a leading regional e-commerce hub, Selangor aspires to be at the forefront of digital transformation and innovation by 2025. We envision an environment where businesses thrive, consumers can enjoy seamless online experiences, and our state becomes a preferred destination for e-commerce investments.
“To achieve this, Selangor via Sidec is investing in infrastructure, promoting digital skills training, and fostering strategic partnerships with industry players. I am delighted to share with everybody the Top ECM programme plays a pivotal role in the development of Selangor’s e-commerce,” he said.
Ng was speaking at the awards ceremony, held at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur earlier today. Also in attendance was Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (Kuskop) Saraswathy Kandasami.
He added that by nurturing and supporting promising local enterprises, Top ECM has not only created job opportunities also contributed to spurring economic growth
“It has empowered our entrepreneurs to leverage the power of e-commerce, expand their market reach, and build sustainable businesses,” he said.
The Top ECM Awards is a prestigious accolade presented by Sidec, which began in 2015. For the past five years, Affin Bank Berhad has been the main sponsor of the awards.
Affin Islamic Bank chief executive officer Datuk Paduka Syed Mashafuddin Syed Badarudin took the opportunity to stress the importance of businesses embracing digitalisation as a viable means of growth, especially in the post-pandemic era.
He said Internet penetration in Malaysia is at 96.8 per cent, which can offer businesses vast opportunities to reach a larger online consumer base.
“So, what this means is that whether you are operating a micro, small, medium, or even large business, the days of relying solely on traditional brick-and-mortar operations are far behind us.
“Businesses of all types, including finance, medicine, agriculture, and especially retail, have adopted innovative technology to stay ahead,” Syed Mashafuddin said.
The Top ECM Award for this year was presented to ETransact Technology Sdn Bhd, who were recognised for their digital online sales of bus tickets. The IT solution company received a cash prize of RM10,000, along with a trophy and a participation certificate.
In second place was Caring E-Store Sdn Bhd, while in third was JSK Global Sdn Bhd. They were awarded cash prizes of RM8,000 and RM5,000 respectively, along with trophies and certificates.
