Booksellers urge govt not to engage in monopoly through book-buying platform
Representatives of the Malaysian Book Contractors Association (PKBM), the Malaysian Booksellers Association (MBA) and the Federation of Malaysian Stationery and Booksellers Association (PPPABM) during a press conference today. - Photo courtesy of PKBM, MBA and PPPABM
In a joint statement today, the Malaysian Book Contractors Association (PKBM), the Malaysian Booksellers Association (MBA) and the Federation of Malaysian Stationery and Booksellers Association (PPPABM) have expressed their objection to the involvement of the National Book Council of Malaysia (MBKM), a government-owned unit under the purview of the Education Ministry, to engage with a private entity, Dropee to create a book-buying platform.
The aforementioned associations stated that doing so would eventually kill off small or independent booksellers and stressed that such practice is counterproductive to the industry that is still grappling with the effects of the pandemic.
"As it is, our industry is facing many challenges during this Covid-19 Pandemic, and we welcome any ideas in helping us to improve our business.
"However, MBKM is not helping but doing the opposite to jeopardize the book industry. While our industries are ready to embrace digitalisation and e-commerce, where most of our members have already done so. The involvement of MBKM as a government agency in fronting on behalf of Dropee is strongly condemned.
"With the education minister, its secretary-general and many top government officers on their organisation chart, its involvement will surely convince the schools and government agency officers to purchase from this platform. This is indirectly an abuse of power to give an unfair advantage and to suppress the existing free and open competitive market,'' said the statement.
The supposed venture between MBKM and Dropee has created the book-buying digital platform bukuku.my.
In the statement, the associations have also urged MBKM to return to its original mandate of inculcating a reading culture among Malaysians.
They have also urged the Finance Ministry not to agree with the proposed idea of the Digital Purchase Order by MBKM as this is against the government policy.
Similarly, the associations have also questioned how MBKM had justified the 20 per cent commission charged by the platform when other digital platforms such as Shopee only charge 2.5 per cent.
They have also asked MBKM to detail their exact justification on how they arrived at the 20 per cent commission charged by the platform.
Last month, MBKM issued a statement stating that the 20 per cent charge is inclusive of the operating and maintenance cost of the platform which was to provide an alternative channel for book buying.
MBKM also stated that the local order feature on the platform was still at the proposal stage and deny any elements of monopoly.
