IN an era where technology’s influence is permeating every facet of our lives, the landscape of commerce has undergone a radical transformation.
E-commerce, the digital heartbeat of contemporary business, has ushered in an era of convenience, accessibility, and endless possibilities.
From the bustling metropolises to the most remote corners of the world, this digital revolution has altered the way we buy, sell, and interact with products and services.
Dreams Unearthed and the Birth of Timogah
In the dynamic world of e-commerce, where giants like Amazon and Alibaba loom large, there emerges a story of perseverance, ingenuity, and a profound connection to community.
Timogah, a Sarawak borned e-commerce company has revolutionised the online marketplace and has become a catalyst for change in the e-commerce landscape in the state.
The roots of Timogah trace back to the founder, Heineken Laluan’s, academic days at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), where the potential of e-commerce and technology-based business captured his interest.
“When I was studying at UMS, I did some readings and was inspired by the potential of e-commerce and technology based businesses and admire entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, and Jack Ma of Alibaba.
“Looking back at Malaysia at that time, I realised that there hasn’t been any homegrown e-commerce company founded by a Malaysian with such a success story.
“From thereon, I set a dream to build a successful e-commerce company and hope it inspires many others.”
The entrepreneurial itch led to several projects. He stated that he did some website and e-commerce projects but none fulfilled his vision.
Having a degree in education with science (majoring in biology), the 39-year-old shared that he was posted as a teacher in one of the secondary schools in Miri right after his graduation.
After spending three years as an educator, he finally took a daring leap and embraced entrepreneurship wholeheartedly.
From Educator to Entrepreneur: A Journey of Perseverance
While embarking on the journey of entrepreneurship, Heineken built diverse businesses across industries ranging from food and beverages (F&B), retail, insurance, sports event management, and many more.
“Though some of the businesses are still running until now, none of them are e-commerce businesses that I dreamt of.
“Therefore, in an effort to pursue my e-commerce business dream, in June 2017, I registered a domain name called timogah.com. For the record, ‘Timogah’ in Bidayuh language means famous,” he said.
As a greenhorn in the e-commerce business, he shared that he was not sure what to do with his domain and what to sell in it yet.
“It is until I realised that there is no website selling fresh produce yet at that time. Moreover, there are a lot of local produce which are unique in Borneo and are valuable and in high demand. This is an untapped market potential I thought.
“That is where I start to learn more about our local food supply chain and I figure out more problems and opportunities in the local food and agricultural supply chain.
“That is why, I believe that with timogah.com, I can open new market opportunities while helping the small and rural farmers as well as small businesses to market and distribute their products directly to customers.”
As Timogah was still new at that time and people in Sarawak were not too familiar with online shopping, he shared that he had to do a lot of talks and programmes to get things started.
“Through these programmes, people were attracted to the products that we offer. With continuous education and awareness programmes on top of effective delivery and customer service, people started to order more on timogah.com while more small farmers, small businesses and rural communities started to sell on our platform. Since then, the business started to evolve.”
Bridging Gaps and Seizing Opportunities
Timogah’s inception was fueled by a void in the market – lack of platforms connecting small farmers and rural communities with customers seeking fresh, local produce.
The traditional middlemen model left farmers with meagre earnings, while customers struggled to access unique Borneo produce.
Looking at the situation, Heineken stated that Timogah emerged as the bridge, enabling farmers to command better prices for their goods and offering customers the ease of online shopping for fresh produce.
“In timogah.com, customers and producers or farmers are linked with one another. Not only that, farmers can now sell at a higher price conveniently from their farm.”
He added that Timogah’s mission resonates with digital inclusivity and empowerment that Sarawak has been promoting.
By developing timogah.com into a digital marketplace, not only it empowers small farmers, micro-businesses, and rural communities, but it also extends the convenience of online shopping to local consumers.
“Our website opened new market opportunities for our entrepreneurs through a digital marketplace where customers can order anytime online, at the comfort of their home or office with a cheaper price with the same or next day delivery service.
“Furthermore, with our digital marketplace and our supply chain model, we managed to build a more efficient and sustainable local food and agricultural supply chain.”
Unveiling Timogah’s Unique Edge
In a fiercely competitive e-commerce arena, Timogah’s distinctiveness lies in its commitment to rural e-commerce – an arena often overlooked due to digital literacy, connectivity, and logistical challenges.
Timogah’s expertise in these areas became its strength, as it carved a niche by championing the underrepresented.
According to Heineken, there are not many e-commerce players who involve themselves in rural e-commerce due to the challenges of dealing with a lower level of digital literacy among users especially from the rural areas, low internet connectivity, no proper road access and high logistics costs.
“But at Timogah, this is our specialty! When we just started, Timogah is unique by promoting fresh and seasonal local produce of Borneo, which normally is hard to find in the market but high demand and it is mostly available within the rural areas which is hard to get.
“We stay ahead by championing the rural e-commerce sector and by developing an efficient supply chain model which enables small and rural farmers to sell directly to customers.
“It has become well known that when people want to buy anything locally unique in Sarawak, they will buy from Timogah as they can easily buy various types of local, natural and seasonal fresh produce or other arts and crafts or souvenirs of Borneo.
“On top of that, travellers or tourists also buy from our platform and carry those products on flight back to their hometown, as souvenirs.”
He added that in their website there are various local produce that can be found such as dabai, engkalak, bambangan, kasai or kristal, ensabi, semah, empurau, sago worm, bamboo shoots, tekuyung, tarap, enseluai and also various types of freshwater, farms, natural or jungle produce.
“As our sales grow, we develop data of demand. We can tell farmers what our best selling items are.
“And this data of demand becomes valuable market information especially among the local farmers.
“This brings impact towards a more sustainable agriculture; where farmers can produce based on demand.”
Scaling Horizons and Envisioning the Future
As Timogah ambitions extend beyond boundaries, Heineken stated that to date, the e-commerce platform has over 100 vendors from Sarawak and Sabah.
“We have at least 3,000 customer bases which mostly are within Kuching and some nationwide as we scale.”
By championing rural e-commerce and nurturing an efficient supply chain, he pointed out that Timogah envisions becoming a household name, not just in Sarawak but throughout Malaysia.
“We want to build an efficient local food and agricultural supply chain ecosystem throughout the country. We want to become a household brand.
“As a homegrown e-commerce company from Sarawak, I want Timogah to become among one of the top 10 e-commerce players in Malaysia.
“And to also have the chance to explore the expansion opportunities to neighbouring countries such as Kalimantan in Indonesia, Singapore, and Brunei.”
The story of Timogah is one of courage, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to community upliftment.
Through its digital marketplace, the company has woven a tapestry that connects the dreams of small farmers and rural artisans with the aspirations of consumers seeking unique Borneo treasures.
Timogah’s Impact on Businesses and Communities
In the wake of Timogah’s inspiring journey towards redefining e-commerce and nurturing rural communities, businesses and individuals have found new avenues of growth, empowerment, and prosperity through this platform.
Linda Gelanggang, 30, from Betong is one of its latest active vendors in the platform. Hailing from a rural community, she shared that she sources a diverse range of natural and jungle produce, as well as unique foods from her region, and brings them to customers in Kuching through the Timogah platform.
She added that with Timogah’s support, she has not only resurrected traditional trading practices but has also found a larger audience for her products.
For Cosmas Saig Sayob, a small farmer from Siburan, he joined Timogah back in 2018 as a bamboo shoots vendor.
“With the platform given by Timogah, I was able to sell more types of produce aside from bamboo shoots.
“Moreover, I also brought along my relatives and other villagers in my area to sell their products through this platform.”
The 57-year-old’s journey with the platform has made him the role model and increased the agricultural activities among his community.
Meanwhile, Monica @ Zunika Joheen, a dynamic 38-year-old market trader in Kota Sentosa, Kuching, epitomises the adaptability and growth Timogah fosters.
Monica has not only expanded her sales through Timogah but has also become a conduit for the local market and nearby shops.
“Being an entrepreneur, I know how the hardship is. Therefore, through my online store on Timogah, I sell my own products while also promoting other products in the market and nearby shops.”
Timogah: A Living Blueprint of Prosperity
The stories of Linda, Cosmas, and Monica are just a glimpse into the multitude of lives transformed by Timogah’s e-commerce revolution.
These testimonials underscore the platform’s promise of equitable empowerment, growth, and community building.
Timogah, through its relentless dedication and innovative approach, continues to be a living blueprint of how technology and commerce can coalesce to create pathways of shared prosperity, bridging gaps and nurturing dreams across Sarawak and beyond.
