Government to Introduce Immediate Regulatory Measures for E-Commerce Platforms

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 26 — The Finance Ministry (MoF) and the Ministry of Communications will implement immediate regulatory measures, including registration requirements for e-commerce platforms, to protect consumer safety and interests.

MADANI Government spokesman Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said the Cabinet reached the decision today after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim received complaints from the public, e-commerce platform operators, and brick-and-mortar retailers.

Fahmi, who is also the Communications Minister, noted that concerns centered around the lack of adequate regulation on e-commerce platforms, particularly regarding the sale of electrical and electronic products that bypass safety standards, as well as the authenticity of products claiming halal status.

“The government’s intention is to ensure consumers are always protected. So, whatever action is taken, our top priority is the consumers and buyers using these e-commerce platforms,” he told a post-Cabinet press conference today.

Fahmi clarified that the government has no intention of shutting down or restricting e-commerce platforms. Instead, the focus is on ensuring all products sold online comply with established national standards.

For instance, electrical and electronic items must meet SIRIM (Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia) requirements, while goods marketed as halal must strictly adhere to Malaysia’s official halal standards.

Addressing the regulatory framework, Fahmi explained that the MoF, the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) already possess established registration mechanisms. The respective ministries will soon hold engagement sessions with e-commerce platform operators to streamline these processes.

“From MCMC’s perspective, the licensing framework previously introduced for social media platforms has given us experience in determining what needs to be addressed when engaging with the platforms. So, similar discussions could perhaps be held with e-commerce platform operators,” he added.

According to Fahmi, the MCMC received 1,964 complaints related to online product sales and platform issues, including scams, between Jan 1, 2025, and Aug 25 this year. Of the total, 1,147 complaints were lodged in 2025, and 817 were reported this year, with 118 cases still under investigation.

Among the total complaints, 191 involved electrical or electronic products, while four pertained to the authenticity of a product’s halal status.

–NMT