The government announced that it will table an E-Commerce Bill at the next parliamentary sitting to better strengthen accountability among online platforms and sellers. Further, this bill also aims to regulate foreign e-commerce platforms operating in Malaysia.
While tabling Budget 2027 earlier today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government is taking complaints from micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and how they face unfair competition from foreign e-commerce companies operating within the country without adequate oversight seriously.
“The government is expediting legal and enforcement measures to protect the interests of local MSMEs from unfair competition, whilst also ensuring that goods purchased by the public are safe,” Anwar stated. Though the prime minister mentioned plans of tabling the bill at the next parliamentary sitting, he did not specify when exactly this tabling will occur.
In case you missed it, this action stemmed from an incident that occurred some time last month where Malaysian retailers expressed concerns over the impact of cross-border e-commerce platforms, like China’s Pinduoduo, that were offering products at ultra-low prices. These local retailers say that they find it difficult to compete with the sudden influx of inexpensive imported goods, which face different regulatory, taxation and compliance requirements.
Now, as explained by Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching last month, this bill is not meant to target a single platform but all of them. She said that “we want to level the playing field and make sure that Malaysian consumers are protected.”
(Source: Parlimen Malaysia / Youtube)
