Naroden (second left) presents the certificates of attendance to a representative of the workshop participants, witnessed by Kameri (left).

KUCHING: Entrepreneurs must try new things to keep up with the times and advancing technologies to better market their products and services.

In this respect, Assistant Minister of Entrepreneur and Small, Medium Enterprise (SME) Development Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais views that the current economy is gearing towards digital economy.

“The state government has launched its digital economy policy, which involves borderless technological change. But most importantly, the entrepreneurs must be brave and positive – they must not give up easily; they should take up new technology in stride,” he spoke at the ‘Online Business Workshop’ conducted at a hotel here yesterday.

“Try out something new in marketing your products and utilise the digital technology fully in getting more customers from all over the world instead of just focusing on the local market,” said Naroden, who is also Assistant Minister of E-Commerce.

According to him, e-commerce has enabled businessmen to use the Internet to market their products, which makes business transactions faster and easier and at the same time, it reduces cost and is able to increase output.

He also pointed out that trying new things like online business would serve as an alternative methodto conventional businesses.

He said an entrepreneur should strive to be become like a ‘Street Fighter’ – willing to compete healthily and try new things, aside from offering something different to their customers instead of imitating others.

On this, he cited Alibaba.com – an online marketplace founded by Chinese businessman Jack Ma – as a prime example of harnessing business potential via the Internet.

Meanwhile the two-day workshop, which concluded yesterday, was attended by 58 people.

International Trade and E-commerce Ministry permanent secretary Kameri Affendi was present at the closing ceremony.