KUCHING, 23 JANUARY 2026 — Sarawak has deepened its public–private collaborations to strengthen the state’s digital commerce ecosystem after the Sarawak Digital Mall (SDM) initiative led by Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) recorded nearly RM12 million in online sales on TikTok Shop in 2025, signalling the readiness of Sarawak-based enterprises to scale through coordinated ecosystem support.
The milestone was highlighted during the Sarawak Digital Mall Pesta Lokal Launching Ceremony at the Kuching Waterfront, officiated by the SME Advisor for the Ministry for International Trade, Industry and Investment Sarawak (MINTRED), Dato Sri Haji Mohd Naroden bin Haji Majais, on behalf of the Premier of Sarawak. The ceremony also marked a key milestone in collaboration with the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), and Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) between the SDEC and its ecosystem partners.
The agreements were exchanged with TikTok Shop Malaysia, Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet), witnessed by Naroden, reflecting Sarawak’s multi-partner approach to strengthening the local e-commerce industry, including platform enablement, enterprise development and payment ecosystem support.
Naroden said the outcomes reflect Sarawak’s deliberate approach under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) to build enabling digital ecosystems through sustained collaboration rather than short-term interventions.
“The Sarawak Digital Mall demonstrates how coordinated partnerships involving government agencies, digital platforms and ecosystem players can translate digital capabilities into tangible economic outcomes for Sarawak businesses,” he said.
Designed and led by SDEC, the Sarawak Digital Mall initiative has been implemented for over one and a half years in collaboration with ecosystem partners, with TikTok Shop Malaysia providing market access, technology and platform capabilities, and MINTRED facilitating policy alignment and targeted support mechanisms. In 2025 alone, the initiative generated more than 250,000 orders across 10,000 livestream hours.
From 2022 to 2025, the initiative recorded 132% growth in sales, a 152% increase in orders, and a 50% rise in new Sarawakian sellers on TikTok Shop, alongside a 123% uplift at the platform level.
Through the programme, more than 350 Sarawakian entrepreneurs progressed from training to becoming platform-ready online sellers, drawn from a pool of over 1,600 Sarawakian sellers trained since 2024. Many were first-time participants in digital commerce and received support under the Seller Stimulus Package, including discount vouchers, advertising credits and affiliate marketing support of up to RM5,000 per eligible seller to lower entry barriers and accelerate early-stage growth.
According to SDEC, the consistency of these outcomes demonstrates the ability of Sarawak’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to convert digital skills into measurable economic value when supported by a well-designed and coordinated ecosystem.
Ts. Hamadlan Haji Hamdan, Chief Technology Officer SDEC, delivering remarks on behalf of the CEO, noted that the RM12 million milestone reflects the strength of a collaborative ecosystem and the impact of formalised partnerships.
“SDEC’s role is to design and orchestrate ecosystems where businesses can succeed. The exchange of these agreements reflects our commitment to deepening collaboration across platforms, enterprise development agencies, and payment enablers to scale what works for Sarawak,” he said.
Beyond revenue generation, the initiative also delivered capability outcomes. By mid-2025, affiliate-based sales increased several-fold compared to the previous year, while 100 Sarawak sellers demonstrated live commerce proficiency through the Sarawak Live Selling Competition. The Top 5 sellers competed on-ground during the SDM Pesta Lokal livestreaming finale, signalling readiness for more advanced digital business models.
Naroden also conveyed his appreciation to the Right Honourable Premier of Sarawak for his visionary leadership under PCDS 2030. He further acknowledged the contributions of SDEC and its ecosystem partners for their steadfast commitment to empowering Sarawak’s digital economy.
Moving forward, Sarawak remains committed to strengthening public-private partnerships, expanding capability-building initiatives, and attracting private-sector participation to bolster the state’s digital commerce ecosystem through implementing agencies such as SDEC.
For more information about the Sarawak Digital Mall initiative, seller programmes, or partnership opportunities, visit https://sdec.com.my/web/sarawak-digital-mall/.