Road 2 Millionaire

Najmi wrote;

First of all I want to apologize if this topic sounds a bit controversial, but I feel it is very important for both me and Hafiz to express our thoughts and stands on Malay netizens nowadays. We’re Malay ourselves, so in no means we’re trying to belittle our own people – it’s more like an advice, an opinion. What I’m about to say here is utter honesty, downright to the bone. It’s from Malays, to Malays.

Frankly, Hafiz and I are both quite disappointed by the direction MOST Malay netizens seem to be going into. I’ll tell you why.

REASON 1 – We want to get rich, but we’re lazy.

Instead on running a real online business, most of our people are more interested investing in auto-surf programs, get-rich-quick schemes, and other BS programs, which involve no aspect of entrepreneurship whatsoever. It disappoints us whenever we state to people that we’re doing online business, only to be replied with the question, “Is it the auto-surf program that people are talking about? Can I join?”

What, is that all there is to our mind whenever the words ‘online’ and ‘business’ are mentioned? If it is, then it’s very saddening that most of us haven’t really realized that the potential of internet is not limited only to such programs. Even the term ‘e-dagang’ itself has lost its true meaning; it’s now being confused with these ill-fated schemes that can ensure nothing but loss. Sometimes I wonder, can’t we all at least get money from the internet properly? I don’t know when the ever-growing number of these programs will come to a stop, but I’m sure that as long as we’re willing to take the bait of “promised fortune in XX days”, this chain will continue to bind us from progress and success.

And please don’t let me start on the number of internet frauds we have committed. If we continue the acts that got us banned from Clickbank and Paypal, it’s no surprise if others start following soon. Yeah, keep on clicking on your own Adsense, let’s see how that turns out for ALL of us.

REASON 2 – We are too afraid to break the norm.

We are so used to doing things traditionally, that we refuse to try new methods by exploiting the potential of internet. Internet usage is narrowed down to only e-mail, chatting, mp3 downloads, friendster, and porn. Yes, porn.

When was the last time you knew someone who bought a product over the internet? Or, when was the last time YOU bought a product over the internet? Buying and selling things online has been practiced many years before by other countries, but we Malays are still insecure that we really have to physically touch and feel the thing before doing any purchase. Haven’t we heard of ‘warranty’?

That is just one of the examples, but the point is, most of us are still afraid to try new things. We tend to think inside the box. Ideas are often met with negative remarks. NO is the answer to most of our questions.

When are we moving forward then?

REASON 3 – We take everything too lightly.

I’ll be brutally honest here. Every time we accept new orders for C3 from a Malay, we got at least a bit worried. In fact, C3 was never targeted towards Malaysians. Experiences have taught us one time too many, that some Malay customers can be unprofessional, to downright unreliable sometimes.

This is more of a personal experience. Before going online with C3, I used to do many freelance designing jobs. Most of the customers, especially Malays, left me with bitter feelings. They asked me to create the initial concept design, but after I’ve put my hard work on it, they just vanished into thin air. No words from them whatsoever. I had tried contacting them, but to no avail. I don’t mind taking NO for an answer, but at least, LET ME KNOW THE ANSWER.

The same case happened recently in C3. I was asked to design a cover by a Malay woman. I was rushing to finish it because of the 2 days time limit, I didn’t want to under-deliver. I finished it a.s.a.p and got the preview sent to her email.

After a few days, she replied. Much to my dismay, she said that she ordered just for ‘cuba-cuba’, and she just wanted to know how my work would turn out to be like since her ebook is not finished yet. I strictly told here that C3 is a serious business; we don’t have time to ‘cuba-cuba’. If you want it, make an order. If not, then don’t. No test-drive in our service, sorry.

I may be losing a customer because of this harsh reaction, but I don’t care as long as my efforts don’t go down in vain. I’ve had enough of my share being cheated by Malay customers.

At this point I may have sounded that I hate Malay customers, but believe me, I don’t. In fact, thanks to wonderful people like Zamri Nanyan and SaifulSham Team, my faith in Malay customers has yet to die.

I just want all the mentioned Malay netizens to stop whatever nonsense they have kept on going, and learn not to abuse the Internet.

That being said, Hafiz and I are also very proud of the leading Malay netpreneurs (Irfan Khairi, Shuth, Kidino, Smartusaha, SaifulSham – to name a few), may we all can see things as clearly as they do from now on.

And start making money online. The right way.