Review 'monopoly decision' for Mara Digital Mall supplies

The government should review its decision to allow one company to monopolise the supply and vetting of IT products sold at Mara Digital Mall, PKR lawmaker Wong Chen says.

"Any system of monopoly will never be good for consumer. Such a monopoly system will not last," Wong said at a press conference at the PRK headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

"It is within the government's right to pursue a bumiputera agenda at the Digital Mall, but it is advisable to apply market elements so they are more competitive," he said.

"If you start to have a sole distributor, then you are skewing the market and not giving the best price."

Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaacob announced on Monday the apppointment of WGN Innovation Frontiers to vet the IT products to be sold at Mara Digital Mall as well as supply the products to the traders.

"I am not sure if the minister got it right, but he should rethink the policy," said Wong, who the MP for Kelana Jaya.

"What if monopoly holders like (business tycoon) Syed Mokhtar (Shah Syed Nor Al-Bukhary) decided to squeeze, mampuslah (die lah). So there is a danger," he said.

Wong therefore urged the ministry to add another two bulk suppliers into the Digital Mall business so they could compete with one another to offer the traders best services and prices.

Mara Digital was set up on Dec 8 to supposedly counter alleged attempts by non-bumiputera to dominate the sale of IT products and gadgets. It came about in the aftermath of the Low Yat Mall brawl last July.

WGN chairperson Wan Mohamad Zin Mat Amin was an Umno candidate for the Kemuning state seat in Kelantan during 2008 general election.

Aside from guaranteeing that only original products are sold at Mara Digital, WGN Innovations also prevents retailers from offering alternative operating systems to meet consumer demands.

Apart from the major names, the independent local brands sold at Mara Digital include Elephone mobile phone and the Forte range of networking products.

On Jan 5, Sinar Harian quoted Wan Mohamad Zin as saying that Mara Digital had recorded sales of over RM100,000 in its first two weeks, describing it as an encouraging sign to counter critics who predicted that the bumiputera-only business model will not last. -Mkini