What have happened to the campaign? Why then the MARA Digital Mall that is built for Malay Muslims is closed?
Ever since the announcement was made, I have my reservation. Those close to me would’ve probably heard my grouses or my frustration why I think MARA Digital Mall will not work. Today, my frustration and grouses were proved true. In a written response to a question by the previous Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Rural Development Ministry said, that slow-moving sales coupled with disproportionate operating costs caused tenants to cease operating at the premises. It really is disheartening when you hear businesses failed. People put in the time, and money, some put in their life savings and all went down the drain.
There are many reasons why I believe that it won’t work. First, it was born out of spite. That is right, the MARA Digital Mall was born of spite after the infamous issue involving a guy who claimed to have been cheated after he purchased a phone from a seller in Low Yat Plaza. The issue later spiralled to a full blown riot in and around Low Yat Plaza. Why I say that it’s born out of spite? Low Yat Riot happened on 13 July 2015. Ismail Sabri was made as the Minister of Rural and Regional Development on 29 July 2015. and he proposed Low Yat 2 in early August 2015. No a month passed after the riot and he proposed Low Yat 2 for Malays. Just because there’s a fight between some Malay men and Chinese traders over a handphone. It’s time for Malay to fight against the Chinese. It may be a business fight, but it’s a fight nonetheless.
And just like that, Ismail Sabri got MARA working overtime to get a Mall set up for all the Malay traders. I’m sure hundreds of thousands or even millions were spent to set it up if we include the 6 months rent free period for all the Malay traders there. Mind you, these millions could’ve been spent on MRSM, or a real rural development project that would uplift the rural Malays who needed help the most. But nope, it’s better to pay the contractors to remodel the mall so that other urban Malays can open a handphone or IT shop. Sorry my dear kampung folks, the bandar folks is more important lah after the riot.
Second, the business environment was a bit off (by a bit I mean a lot) to begin with. MARA Digital Mall was planned to be opened early 2016 planning starts in August. 2015 was the year that Lazada saw the big explosion in their sales. They recorded US$1.3 billion of annualised Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) in 2015 across its six markets in South-East Asia. At this point, millions of us have already got a Lazada account and other online shopping platform accounts, and the biggest dollars was spent on electronics. It’s already telling at this point but of course Ismail Sabri don’t know any of this. He only knows that we Malays must fight the Chinese. Just fight, no need strategy, no need to make sure we win, just fight lah, and it’s okay because it’s not our money to use to fight anyway.
Of course you want to see consumer trending in spending before you spend millions of ringgit for a 5-7 years project. By 2015, we can see brick and mortar retail spending in electronics have trended down while online sales for the same category have rocketed. We see retailers like Seng Heng, and Other electronic stores open up shops in Lazada. We also see manufacturer like Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi and many others doing the same. But not Ismail Sabri, he wants to spend millions to open a brick and mortar digital mall instead. Not really a fully researched business venture indeed. And it’s all because his rather short sighted views of the whole thing, being clouded by Malay versus Chinese sentiment.
The above two reasons are good enough to see why the venture would fail. now that the venture failed, who lost the money? First and foremost my dear readers, it’s you and me. All the monies used to set up MARA digital mall are our hard earned money, the taxpayers money. Not Ismail Sabri’s but our money. He got the benefit or riding the UMNO branded Malay versus Chinese bandwagon while it’s the taxpayers money that is spent. And these money was taken away from other projects that may uplift the poor rural Malays life. It’s so disheartening.
I’d like to take this opportunity to bring our attention back to Buy Non-Muslim Last Campaign that is going on right now. Let’s face it, it’s not a Buy Muslim First Campaign. It’s a Buy Non-Muslims Last Campaign. Say it like it is lah. Have some balls lah. Don’t be such a kitty cat. At least Dr. Mahathir back in the 1980’s is honest enough to call his Buy British Last Policy, “Buy British Last”. He didn’t name it “Buy American First, or ‘Buy Malaysian First’ or whatever name that is politically correct. So first of all my dear Muslims friends, please have some balls and call a spade a spade lah. I thought Berani Kerana Benar?
The point I’d like to stress is Islam is very inclusive. Islam can’t be exclusive. We can’t treat Islam like this exclusive club where only the Muslims can join and enter or prioritise muslims first. If Islam is exclusive, then Prophet Muhammad would be the only Muslim because it’s exclusive to Muslim only, and since anybody else can’t join, he’d be alone. That is why anything Islam, shouldn’t not be exclusive.
That is why I despise mosque or offices that mandated all to wear hijab or cover their aurat to enter their premises. We need to be inclusive. There’s this situation where a person who’s not wearing hijab but just started praying 5 times a day. One day, She was on a long trip and stopped at a mosque to pray. She saw a sign that says she can’t enter a mosque without hijab, she entered anyway as it’s to conduct her prayers, she was scolded by a Pakcik there for not wearing hijab. How can we perform dakwah if non muslim and muslim who’s not fully practicing Islam can’t even enter the mosque? I’ve been to numerous mosque in other countries and very hardly I see this rules. they would welcome everyone no matter who and they would use the opportunity to perform dakwah during the visit. Islam must be inclusive. It’s for all, be it Arab, Malays, Chinese, white, blacks, brown, yellow or even purple. Islam is inclusive, no matter who you are, you can join the club. I’m sure I’ll get some backlash on this it’s oh-so-typical to get backlash on stuff like this.
Now back to this campaign, this Buy Non-Muslim Last Campaign. This is an exclusive campaign targeted for muslims only. They are telling people to make the club exclusive to muslim only. Brand it as Muslim first, Malay First and whatever first lah. This is not a sound business practice. You don’t learn from the very people that you despise. I saw many posts shared by the proponents of this campaign, they are trying to crate this list of non-muslims products that look like a muslim’s product. For example the name would be using a Malay word like Ikhlas, Murni, Bersih, Sufi and the likes. On top of that, the packaging would be in green and have a muslim-friendly logo. For example, using jawi font, cresent moon logo, batik pattern and the likes. These are the product that they despise as they are from non muslim’s but portrayed to look like a muslim’s, they felt cheated.
What you need to learn is to outbrand them, be inclusive. Include everyone and show to everyone that you are the most honest, the most value for money, the best, the fastest and whatever that is inclusive to all. Don’t just stop at being muslim and that is it. A muslims means nothing, a muslim still can end up in hell ya lest you forgot. We have Muslims thief, a muslim murderer and worst of all, a muslim child rapist. So, a muslims means nothing. If you have a shop selling phones, don’t just be a Muslim shop selling phones. Be something that is inclusive and have value to all, best value phone shop, best customer service phone shop, cheaper phone shop, most variety phone shop. Whatever tickles you fancy lah. Just don’t stop to be Muslim only. Must be good muslim ya, not just muslim.
So, I suggest to stop this nonsense of buy non-muslims last campaign and start a new campaign. I suggest a campaign of “to be the best in the the segment that you want to be”. The segment must be inclusive and universal. No such thing as Malay first, chinese first or gay first. An example would be best value grocery store. I want to go to that store because it gives me best value. If there are two stores, one belongs to a muslim and another is non muslim. Assuming the Muslim store is the one that give more value while the non muslim not so much. I can guarantee that both muslims and non muslims will go to the store that gives more value in the long run. Why? because that nobody wants to waste money down the drain. Heck, even the Chinese wouldn’t want to buy from another chinese who charges more than he should because Chinese are good with money. They don’t waste money for nothing. The Chinese are good at that.
Another example would be best quality and design tailor. No matter if you are muslim or not, people would go to a tailor that have the best quality tailoring and design. No point going to muslim shop and at the end of the day got a lousy design and tailoring quality. High quality and good design are universal, everybody wants high quality and good design, especially if they are affordable.
So remember, don’t do something out of spite, start a digital mall out of spite lah, start a “Buy non-Muslim last campaign” out of spite lah and whatever else out of spite. Just be a good muslim and practice all the universal values that Islam preach. Start a business that have a universal and inclusive purpose. Don’t have a business who’s purpose is to kill the other guy. The purpose of the business is to provide the best service or product for the customer. The byproduct of that successful business might be the closure of your competitor shop and another byproduct can be you making millions of ringgit in profits. That’s good right?
If we can do the above, and coupled it with a good business sense and great work ethics, perhaps we can have a successful Digital Mall or any other business for that matter. Inshallah, Muslim and Non-Muslim will buy your product.
Peace be unto all.
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