KUCHING: As many as 109,534 online businesses have been registered as of Aug 31 this year which contributed 42.8 percent of the total number of businesses registered during the period, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
He said that last year, a total of 132, 012 online businesses were registered, and these registrations saw an increase of 5.8 percent of the total businesses registered in 2019.
“A total of 1,611 companies conducting online businesses were registered during the period of Jan 1 to Aug 31 this year, which is an increase of 71.2 percent over the same period last year.
“The number of registrations has shown an increase in 2020 with a total of 1,726 online companies conducting online businesses registered, whereas a total of 1,403 companies were registered in 2019,” he said.
“For the same period, a total of 250 limited liability partnerships conducting online businesses were registered, while the total registration of limited liability partnerships conducting businesses online in 2020 was 386 limited partnerships which accounted for 10 percent of the total registrations compared to 272 registered in 2019,” he said.
He said this in a reply to Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat (GPS-Betong) during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday (Oct 4).
“The increasing trend of registration of business entities utilising digital platforms is driven by the current socio-economic situation, especially with the Covid-19 pandemic which started in 2020 where traders have shifted to the digital ecosystem,” he pointed out.
Nanta then said his ministry also took the initiative to develop digital businesses particularly in the retail sector.
“To encourage traders to venture into online businesses, Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) had introduced the Prihatin Business Registration Scheme (SPPP) which provides free registration to B40 group entrepreneurs and full-time higher learning students.
“As of Sept 26, this year, a total of 18,476 traders have benefited from this incentive,” he said.
In addition, he said SSM also continued the implementation of the 1 OKU 1 Business Scheme (S1OKU1P) which provides free business registration and renewal for the people with disabilities (OKU).
“As of Sept 26, this year, statistics show nearly 13,096 businesses were successfully registered under this incentive,” he said.
