The company’s 2017 Global Retail Development Index ranks Malaysia in third place among the top 30 developing countries for retail investment, behind China and India.
The report bases its figures on a government-backed investment of USD 280 million to roll out high speed broadband infrastructure to rural areas. The plan has been initiated in 2016 and will be a boom for the ecommerce expansion in Malaysia.
Another key factor that drives the retail growth is tourism, backed by higher disposable income and government investment in infrastructure. In 2016, the country’s retail industry grew by 3.8% thanks to a 6.1% increase in private consumption.
The company also highlighted Malaysia’s plan to become a cross-border ecommerce hub with the opening of the first Digital Free Trade Zone in partnership with Alibaba, which will allow SMEs to process their online transactions through the Chinese group.
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