Bridging Digital Divide Critical To Sabah's Inclusive Logistics Growth
By Jailani Hasan
LABUAN, July 22 (Bernama) -- Sabah's logistics and trade sector can only thrive if efforts to digitalise are matched by strong support for small businesses and rural communities, a regional logistics expert said.
Former president of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Malaysia and vice-president of CILT International for Southeast Asia Datuk Dr Ramli Amir said despite digital advancement in port infrastructure and logistics planning, many parts of Sabah remain digitally disconnected.
'We must ensure that digitalisation does not widen the development gap. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and rural logistics players in Sabah need the same access to tools, platforms and support to participate in this transformation,' he told Bernama today.
Ramli noted many micro-enterprises and rural businesses struggle with limited connectivity, lack of awareness and insufficient digital training, which prevents them from benefitting from data-driven trade initiatives.
He suggested that targeted interventions, such as capacity-building programmes, inclusive policy frameworks, and public-private collaborations, are essential to bring these players on board.
He also called for broader investment in digital infrastructure and broadband expansion in underserved areas.
'Digital transformation must be inclusive… if only the urban and large players benefit, we risk leaving a major portion of the economy behind,' he said.
He said Sabah's strategic position in the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) sub-region makes it uniquely placed to benefit from regional trade agreements, but only if its entire logistics network – including rural feeder routes, community ports, and land transport – is included in the digital upgrade.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
No prospecting licence issued to Farhash-linked firm, says Sabah land dept
Sabah lands and surveys department director Bernard Liew said allegations claiming that Bumi Suria Sdn Bhd had been awarded a mineral prospecting licence in Sabah are baseless. PETALING JAYA : The Sabah lands and surveys department maintains that no mineral prospecting licence had been issued to Bumi Suria Sdn Bhd, the company linked to businessman Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak. The department's director, Bernard Liew, said no prospecting licence was awarded to the company under the Sabah Mining Ordinance 1960 and that allegations claiming otherwise were baseless. He added that the department was the authoritative body governing mining in the Bornean state. 'Any mineral exploration activity in Sabah can only be conducted after obtaining a legitimate licence issued under Sections 6 and 8 of the Sabah Mining Ordinance. 'And this is subject to technical conditions and other relevant laws that are already in place. The department views seriously any statement made via the media that can mislead the public,' he said in a statement. MalaysiaNow previously reported that Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd (SMM) had awarded Bumi Suria an exploration licence for coal mining. The report said it had been granted exclusive rights to explore and search for minerals on 70,000ha of forest reserve in Kalabakan and Gunung Rara near the Kalimantan border. In a statement to FMT, SMM CEO Natasha Sim said the state government agency was not a licence-awarding body, nor did it have jurisdiction to award or issue licences. On Monday, Farhash said his lawyers had served MalaysiaNow with a cease and desist letter, saying allegations that he owned Bumi Suria and that the company had been awarded a mineral prospecting or exploration licence in Sabah were false and defamatory. The lawyers said Farhash was merely a director and shareholder of Bumi Suria, and demanded that the article be removed from the website and all social media channels.
Barnama
3 hours ago
- Barnama
Construction Of Second Batch Of LMS Vessels On Schedule
From Mohd Adli Shahar ISTANBUL, July 24 (Bernama) -- The construction of the second batch of three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) by Turkish defence firm Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (STM) at the Istanbul Shipyard is proceeding according to schedule. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the first LMS is expected to be launched next April, followed by the second in June 2026 and the third in August 2026. "The construction of the second batch of LMS marks the first procurement following the signing of the government-to-government (G2G) memorandum of understanding (MoU) for defence acquisitions during my official maiden visit to Turkiye in June last year. "The progress of this construction is definitely important because it serves as the benchmark for the new procurement approach by the government,' he told reporters after surveying the ship construction at the Istanbul Shipyard here on Thursday. He was accompanied by Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Chief Admiral Tan Sri Zulhelmy Ithnain and a delegation from the Ministry of Defence. He said that after the vessels are launched into the water, they will enter a critical phase involving integrating various systems to be used on board, before Malaysia takes full delivery of the three ships by the end of 2027. He added that the procurement of the three LMS vessels will be followed by an Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP), which has the potential to significantly impact the local defence industry, including through technology transfer that will be finalised by the end of this year. He said that Turkiye, before becoming a producer of defence products, also underwent a process of technology transfer from other countries before successfully developing its defence industry.
Barnama
3 hours ago
- Barnama
Do Not Politicise, Belittle RM100 SARA Assistance, Great Value For The Poor
BUTTERWORTH, July 24 (Bernama) -- The provision of additional cash assistance of RM100 to Malaysian citizens, aged 18 and above, through the Basic Rahmah Contribution (SARA) programme should not be politicised, but rather seen as a form of concern for the poor. Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Seri said downplaying the value of the RM100 assistance was like belittling the poor in this country because it had a great impact on the daily lives of the less fortunate. "If he is a rich man, T20, he would indeed look down on RM100, but does he know how many people in this country are in the B40 group…how much RM100 is to them and for rich people, he doesn't understand whether RM100 is a big deal or not. "Do they know how many kilogrammes of rice RM100 can buy, how many chickens it can buy? So, if the (government) initiative is good, we have to say it is good, if it is not good, we have to say it is not good, not to belittle it,' he told reporters after attending the PENN 2.0 Special Fund Financing Briefing and Presentation Ceremony here tonight. Explaining further, Ramanan said all parties should show empathy and understand the reality of the lives of low-income groups, especially in challenging economic conditions. Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, yesterday announced several major initiatives as a sign of appreciation from the MADANI Government to the people, including the one-off RM100 grant under the SARA programme, the delay in toll hikes for 10 highways, and the lower RON95 petrol price subsidy at RM1.99 per litre. Meanwhile, Ramanan also said the MADANI Government no longer relies on a single agency such as the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA) in addressing the issues of the Indian community, but has instead introduced various high-impact programmes including financing and entrepreneurship development. According to him, the government is now implementing a more comprehensive approach involving various agencies such as the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (TEKUN), Bank Rakyat, SME Bank and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) specifically to empower Indians. '(It is) increasing the Prosperity Empowerment and A New Normal for Indian Women (PENN) fund from RM50 million to RM100 million, in addition to an additional RM50 million fund for the BRIEF-i programme, the Indian Community Entrepreneur Development Scheme (SPUMI) and introducing Vanigham Financing for Indian Entrepreneurs with financing of RM50 million,' he said.
