Digital Mersing: KPLB's community digitalisation initiative

MERSING, April 10 -- Digital Mersing, which started on March 1, is an initiative of the Rural Development Ministry (KPLB) to help upgrade the community in the district towards digitalisation, especially in cashless transactions.

Its minister, Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad said that through the initiative, it is hoped that at least 100 rural entrepreneurs in the district would be registered with Digital Mersing before June.

Abdul Latiff, who also the Mersing MP, said the effort was to coincide with the development of Malaysia as a developed country in terms of economy and technology by 2030 as well as with its socio-economic recovery, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Digital Mersing’s first phase has been launched and it involves the activation of cashless transactions, donations of MyTv decoders, Desamall (KPLB initiative for rural entrepreneurs to market their products online) and nano business assistance.

"Digital Mersing promoters are also actively meeting with entrepreneurs here (Mersing) to increase their (entrepreneurs) awareness in activating cashless transactions," he told reporters after launching Digital Mersing at the Air Merah Rural Community Centre, here, today.

Abdul Latiff said it was KPLB's intention to encourage the community to purchase rural products through digital platforms, thus cultivating cashless transactions.

“This is a national digitisation effort in line with the government’s efforts to encourage the use of contactless transactions, especially due to the COVID-19 situation in the country.

"Besides, Mersing residents can also register applications through the Digital Mersing website for the purpose of donating to disaster relief, patients and education," he also said.

According to Abdul Latiff, the development of Digital Mersing would not only indirectly facilitate transactions for the community in the district but also help entrepreneurs in terms of documenting business transactions for future use.

-- BERNAMA