Don’t fool us, you are not the “Malaysian Google”
By NG KHAI LEE
You may have chosen a good PR spin. You may have a decent search engine for business users.
But if you’re targeting a global market, at least use proper English!
I’m referring to AsiaEP, a Malaysian technology company, which according to The Star BizWeek is our “Malaysian Google.”
I found this quote on their website a few weeks back:
“ITAH B2B Business Search Engine, powered by ITAH’s ‘Vertical Search Technology’ will enable you and your business to find, reached, and contacted any business entities (manufacturers, importers, exporters, traders, etc) around the world for business conducts which in the end will greatly benefit your business growth.”
They have since removed it from their company profile page. Thank goodness!
Dear AsiaEP, I’m not out to defame you, or “in the end will greatly detriment your business growth.”
I want to express my support for you and Malaysian internet businesses in general.
I’m eager to see Malaysians build the next great internet company. And I have no doubt that we can. Many of us have the brains and the balls to play on any court we choose.
And it’s good that you’ve decided to build the best damn B2B search engine in the world. It’s something other than web hosting or design, services that are provided by most Malaysian web companies. I also applaud your performance on MESDAQ.
However, if you’re going to represent Malaysia in the eyes of the world, will you set a good example?
I was reading The Star BizWeek on Feb. 24, when I came across a promotional write-up about your company. I almost spat coffee all over my grandmother.
Who are you trying to fool with your “Internet Business Cycle”?
This graphic was published in the centerspread:
There is nothing wrong with your fancy chart. Though I doubt Google and Yahoo! would appreciate their names on it.
The thing that annoys me is this:
Are you trying to give readers the impression that all internet businesses typically grow in that direction, and that AsiaEP has now “quantum-leaped” to the top of the game?
That is NOT the life-cycle of internet businesses, and I have yet to encounter an academic who dared to attach his or her reputation to that term. You might want to read up on When Internet Companies Morph. Check out Table 1: Internet Firm Strategic Mutations.
Did you want to excite potential investors who weren’t internet experts? I got the hint from:
“It (AsiaEP) has been tagged the ‘Malaysian Google,’ given its status as the first Malaysian company to pioneer a search engine.”
And this:
“We are likely the first in the world to create a business search engine with a simplified format.”
Have you used the technology you have been developing since 1997 to find other, much larger, competing search engines?
I’m sorry this article employs sarcasm.
AsiaEP, I really hope you deliver the hype you’ve created, and grow into something other people, rather than yourself, can call the “Malaysian Google.”
Malaysia’s business landscape needs heroes - heroes who earn monikers through achievement and innovation, not sly representation.
–
NG KHAI LEE is the web developer and promotions manager of theCICAK.
During the day, he manages internet businesses with a team of inventors, programmers, and entrepreneurs in MindValley. At night, he promotes the local independent music scene with Project Bazooka. Visit his blog.
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Comment of the week
I defend my right as a Malaysian to talk about anything that concerns Malaysia.
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That ITAH B2B looks pretty cool but the excessive jargon in the article makes the whole thing seem like a scam even if it isn’t one.
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Tried using the search engine but my test search has already given me a bad impression.
Searched both ITAH B2B and Google for ‘kings confectionery’, ITAH couldn’t even locate the company’s website in it’s results, Google produced it as the first result.
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By the way, try looking up ‘tmnet’ as well. You’d be VERY surprised.
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Finally, I see some sense in the public regarding ASIAEP pr spin.
I have seen their PR both in The Star Biz section and another local business mag.
To say you are Malaysia Google, is totally weird. Which level are you comparing with google? Do you know how Google File System GFS works? Do you know they have system in house design that are designed by very brilliant minds?
Even a normal geek will go bonkers on what Google designed.
If malaysian IT companies can come up something on par with what Google does, then they don’t need to go telling everyone they are there. They will be automatically recognized internationally.
All I see is, it’s basically to jack their share price.
Fake things don’t last.
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Such is the nature of our businesses. Ta’ada isi. in chinese “mo liu”. When we can compete in the global arena then we can say we’ve succeeded…not in this little cocoon we call Malaysia.
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[…] This article has since been published on TheCicak.com, and generated some interesting […]
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if asiaep’s “stuff” were “Malaysia Google”, then everyone that knows how to butt shake is ricky martin.
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shoot first, aim later………overpromise and underdeliver……….thats the malaysian business culture. But i hope they make it…….
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Don’t complain so much. Nobody exports more palm oil than us.
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comment of the week, by anon. hahaha
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This is a SCAM i would say,
“What we have done over the last 10 years is to create a search engine exclusively related to business and manufacturing purposes. We are likely the first in the world to create a business search engine with a simplified format. 2007 will be the year we make this quantum leap,” he says. ”
10 years? Try http://www.archive.org/index.php , key in www.itah.com , as http://b2b.itah.com was results from it. You will be amaze, they only started developed in 2001, tell liesssss….
I would assume this was a 1st Generation Search Engine, which most of the Search Engines has reaching 4th or 5th Generation.
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“Even a normal geek will go bonkers on what Google designed.”
heh what a geek does is go ohhh ahh on most celebrity stuff, whats so surprised?
I guess none here are even giving a valid reasons , all i hear is comparison on the google, intimidated by the word “Google”? or intepreted wrongly on its scale? Why can’t you anyone of you just treat it like a search engine instead .
“By the way, try looking up ‘tmnet’ as well. You’d be VERY surprised.”
So what makes you think “Tmnet” would appear on the result page. Even if it would, it makes sense not to be on priority as tmnet is a services and it should not even be there, maybe upon request
When someone tell you we have a Malaysian fries on sales, what is on everyone’s mind? yeap…they compare it with French’s fries…that is the such of the casual typical thinking. No hard feeling guys juz my opinions
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That “Internet Business Cycle” diagram looks like complete BS. Granted I don’t know anything about business, but if a search company is just starting out, should it be doing the “focus search engine/specific community” thing before it starts catering to the general public? A business needs to sell a service and there’s no way you can start selling another general purpose search engine at this point..
On top of that… [cerewet]Google and Yahoo! are proper nouns and should be capitalised[/cerewet].
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“I guess none here are even giving a valid reasons , all i hear is comparison on the google, intimidated by the word “Google”? or intepreted wrongly on its scale? Why can’t you anyone of you just treat it like a search engine instead .”
Please bare in mind! they are mention “Malaysia Google”!!! If you don have such power, don try to speak like PM la… Dont know where our Malaysian face can put! Kia sui ar!
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If you guys keep discussing “asiaEP” and “Malaysian Google” as claimed by them, you are in fact helping them to imporve their publicity! Don’t you notice that thie kind of businessmen are using you blogging power s to disseminate their brand (although it’s a rotten brand name)! People, this is another of their PRs! You are being untilized! Note: Wake up, asiaEP! Do not cheat anymore, if you have the true ability and reputation, you will have the words of mouth!
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Ironically the very success of Google is BECAUSE they focus on seach first and foremost, which differentiated them from all the other search engines that thought building themselves up as “portals” and pummeling users with “services” was the way to go. Only later did Google branch out into other projects, most innovative, all related to what they want to do.
AsiaEP is not a revolution or a step higher in the “cycle” when you compare it to Google. It’s actually working backwards.
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I come across this blog and can’t help to make a few comments about AsiaEp new project ITAH. I feel the same way as most of you, this is a show for to boost their share price. Those press relaese is coming from someone is does not really know much about technology.
On the other hand, I was planning a trip to cambodia and search the local yellowpages and I am very impress with their site www.yp.com.kh . Take a look what the IT people in Cambodia is capable of. Try google search on cambodia’s businesses, you will find this site rank high most time.
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interesting article.
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it looks like some renaissance thing, perhaps for nostalgic reason to revitalize the long forgotten GEN1 search engine.
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