Image credit: Tech in Asia
KUCHING (Feb 19): As Sarawak accelerates its push towards a digital economy, many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) continue to face significant challenges, including limited technical expertise, resistance to change, and cybersecurity concerns.
Kintone Southeast Asia Sdn Bhd managing director Tsubasa Nakazawa highlighted that these issues are further compounded by the state’s geographical constraints, such as the vast distance between urban and rural areas, limited IT support, and a shortage of digital talent.
“Beyond that, a lack of digital skills and resistance to adopting new workflows often hinder progress. Many SMEs also struggle to identify the right digital solutions for their needs,” he told The Borneo Post.
To overcome these challenges, the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) had in October last year inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kintone to facilitate digital transformation for SMEs across the state.
Kintone’s role in SME digital transformation
Kintone, a Malaysia-based subsidiary of Japan’s Cybozu Inc, specialises in groupware solutions and offers a low-code platform designed to make digital tools more accessible to businesses without specialised IT expertise.
Nakazawa explained that Kintone offers an all-in-one digital workspace that allows SMEs to streamline operations, automate workflows, and enhance team collaboration.
However, he stressed that technology alone is not enough, proper support and guidance are crucial for successful implementation.
“At Kintone, we not only provide the platform but also assist businesses in setting up and optimising their digital workflows. Our team and partners offer hands-on guidance to help SMEs customise Kintone to their specific needs, ensuring a smooth transition into digital operations,” he added.
By combining digital tools with expert support, Kintone aims to help Sarawakian and Bornean businesses successfully adopt digital solutions, ultimately contributing to Sarawak’s 2030 vision for a digital economy.
While Kintone has not set a specific target for the number of companies to be digitised through its partnership with SDEC, Nakazawa remains optimistic about steady progress in SME digitalisation through this collaboration.
To further drive SME digital adoption, Kintone is also working with local partners, IT providers, and industry stakeholders to provide hands-on support and training.
One of these initiatives is the introduction of industry-specific solutions, where SMEs can utilise ready-made templates tailored for various sectors such as retail, agriculture, and manufacturing. These solutions allow businesses to integrate digital tools more efficiently without starting from scratch.
Additionally, Kintone is conducting workshops and training sessions such as the recently concluded SME Digital Transformation Seminar to equip SMEs with the necessary skills to integrate digital solutions into their operations.
Through webinars, hands-on workshops, and interactive training sessions, businesses are guided step by step in using Kintone effectively from the outset.
“At the end of the day, it’s not just about having the right tools. It’s about having the right support. With Kintone, SMEs in Sarawak and Borneo can go digital at their own pace, without the usual IT headaches,” he added.
Transforming key sectors in Sarawak
When asked about which industries have significant potential for digital transformation, Nakazawa identified agriculture, wholesale and retail trade, and manufacturing as the industries with the greatest potential for digital transformation in Sarawak.
In the agriculture sector, he noted that digital transformation can significantly enhance efficiency through IoT-based monitoring, automated data collection, and workflow automation.
“Kintone has been used by agricultural cooperatives to centralise data on crop yields, weather conditions, and supply chain management. This allows farmers to make data-driven decisions and improve productivity,” Nakazawa said.
For wholesale and retail businesses, many SMEs in Sarawak still rely on manual processes for inventory tracking and sales reporting.
Kintone’s digital solutions allow businesses to create customised workflows that enable real-time stock tracking, automated sales reporting, and improved customer relationship management, all without requiring IT expertise.
In the manufacturing sector, he noted that SMEs often struggle with production scheduling and quality control due to reliance on outdated, paper-based processes.
In this regard, Kintone has helped manufacturers by providing real-time digital dashboards that help manufacturers track production more efficiently.
“Cloud-based business management tools, automation platforms, and secure communication channels are essential for SMEs to stay competitive in the digital economy,” he added.
Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2025/02/19/sarawak-smes-still-struggle-digitally/