This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 5, 2016.

KUALA LUMPUR: Mara Digital will open new bumiputera-only ICT stores in Damansara and Shah Alam by June, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said yesterday.

“I don’t think we need to wait any further because we are confident that Mara Digital can be part of the healthy competition.

“By offering quality products, good services and good prices, I believe opening more stores in other places will not be a problem,” the minister told reporters after a visit to Mara Digital in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

He said the new digital store in Damansara is expected to open in March or April but did not disclose the location.

Mara Digital was opened last month at the headquarters of the federal agency tasked with empowering the economic and social development of rural areas.

It came about following unrest at the popular digital mall Low Yat Plaza in Bukit Bintang last July, where a handphone theft sparked racially charged brawls.

When asked about the need for another ICT mall in Shah Alam and competition faced by Anggerik Mall, which is near Plaza Alam Sentral, Ismail said it does not matter as long as consumers benefit from the competition.

“I think more competition is good for the consumers. As a minister in charge of consumer affairs previously, [I believe that] the more competition, the better for the end users.

“With competition, traders will compete to give their best services.

“Traders will compete to provide the lowest prices, compete to provide the best quality products for end users.”

Ismail Sabri also slammed certain parties for linking the lower prices offered by Mara Digital traders to counterfeit goods.

He said a majority of the traders obtain their goods from WGN Scan Sdn Bhd, that would ensure the authenticity of the products.

He also said the domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism ministry has also set up a complaint centre at Mara Digital outlets to deal with such complaints.

“I have said the tagline here is ‘authentic and genuine’, so we must stick to that. We cannot have counterfeit goods here.

“The complaint centre will work with the ministry to monitor the sale of counterfeit goods. — The Malaysian Insider