E-commerce law overhaul coming in 2026, Malaysia to regulate platform fees, foreign sellers
He said the ongoing review of e-commerce legislation commenced in April 2024 and is expected to conclude by August, involving engagement with stakeholders across the industry, among others.
'The review is necessary as the current legal framework lacks clear regulatory powers over electronic transactions, with the existing Electronic Commerce Act serving mainly as an enabling act.
'Enforcement currently depends on the Consumer Protection Act and related regulations, which were meant to be temporary. We need a comprehensive and fair framework accepted by all stakeholders to support e-commerce growth,' he told reporters after an engagement session today.
Armizan said Malaysia's e-commerce sector recorded steady growth, with revenue rising from RM1.13 trillion in 2022 to RM1.22 trillion last year.
He emphasised that new regulations must not hinder the sector's development, noting that once a mechanism is in place for local platforms, a similar approach will be considered for foreign-based operators.
He added that, at present, the ministry has no authority to regulate or monitor foreign platforms without a physical presence in Malaysia, raising concerns over the influx of foreign products and tax inequality.
Armizan also said that discussions are underway with countries such as China and Turkiye on a government-to-government (G2G) mechanism, particularly on regulating cross-border e-commerce and direct selling.
Meanwhile, Armizan said consumer protection is a key focus in the ongoing review of the e-commerce legal framework, particularly on the use of automated decision-making (ADM) systems or algorithms that may contain manipulative elements.
He said the ministry is also looking into growing concerns over recent increases in platform fees imposed by several e-commerce operators, noting that such fee hikes are business decisions made by the platforms themselves.
'In my view, the timing of their fee adjustments is not appropriate, especially since some had already revised their commission fees as recently as August last year,' he said.
He added that while blocking such decisions entirely may not be realistic, the ministry is exploring a mechanism requiring platforms to consult with them or relevant agencies before making fee changes that affect users or sellers.
To date, the review process has involved 23 engagement sessions, six roundtable discussions, four benchmarking visits abroad and over 300 respondents, with sessions in Sabah and Sarawak to follow. — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
21 minutes ago
- Borneo Post
Sabah leaders secure key national roles in Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce
Dexter, Coral and Lau. KOTA KINABALU (July 28): The Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) has recently announced its latest national-level appointments, in which several representatives from the Sabah have successfully ascended to key central positions — fully showcasing the branch's growing prominence and strategic significance in the national business landscape. These appointments are not only a high-level recognition of the Sabah team's past efforts but also symbolize Sabah's deepening strategic role in driving bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Malaysia and China. In this round of appointments, MCCC Sabah President Datuk Dexter Lau has been elected as Chairman of the MCCC National Business Sectors Committee. He will spearhead efforts to lead national business players in exploring new blueprints for Malaysia-China collaboration, promoting more diversified, higher-quality, and forward-looking economic engagement. His appointment signifies that Sabah's representatives are no longer confined to regional roles but have now risen to become key leaders in shaping national business strategies. 'This appointment not only grants me a broader platform to serve and support the national business community, but more importantly, it allows me to bring Sabah onto wider domestic and international business networks — helping attract more resources and investment into the region. This will benefit not only Sabah but also radiate to Sarawak and Brunei. I will continue to advocate for East Malaysia, ensuring we have a strong voice in the country's economic landscape and contribute dynamic regional energy to Malaysia-China cooperation,' said Dexter. The post of Vice Chairperson of the Business Sectors Committee is held by Coral Chia, who will work closely with Dexter to elevate the committee into a more efficient, results-oriented collaboration platform. A leader in the building materials sector and an active MCCC member, Coral has served in the national council for many years and played a key role in decision-making. Notably, her mother is Dato' See Meng Geok, MCCC's current Vice President, who has long worked alongside Datuk Lau Kok Sing in national-level affairs. The strong collaboration between Coral and Dexter is expected to inject more innovation and synergy into the committee, enhancing its nationwide influence and effectiveness. Dexter's appointment, MCCC Sabah's Founding President and Honorary Life Adviser, Datuk Lau Kok Sing, continues his role as National Affairs Advisor. With his extensive experience in chamber affairs, he will continue offering visionary input and strategic counsel for the chamber's future direction, policy formulation, and organizational development. His longstanding contribution to the growth of Malaysia-China trade relations makes him a pillar of stability for the national organization. Josephine and Michael. Meanwhile, Datuk Michael Chin, also an Honorary Life Adviser and former MCCC Sabah President, has been appointed as a National Vice President of MCCC. This is a strong endorsement of his long-standing efforts in promoting Malaysia-China business exchanges, building business platforms, and advancing structured organizational governance. As a tireless advocate of Sabah-China cooperation, he has played a key role in fostering deep enterprise-level engagement between both sides — acting as a vital bridge between regional and international markets. Furthermore, senior Sabah member and legal representative JP Josephine Wan Wen Hadikusumo has been appointed as MCCC's National Internal Auditor. Her solid legal background and extensive professional expertise will help strengthen the chamber's overall financial governance mechanisms, enhance transparency and compliance, and ensure the organization maintains a high level of discipline and auditing standards while continuing to grow. Commenting on these appointments, Dexter stated, 'the fact that the Sabah team has taken up several key national positions is not just an honor, but a responsibility. We will continue to uphold our spirit of professionalism, unity, and progress — not only speaking up for Sabah, but also working hand in hand with our counterparts across Malaysia to harness the strength of the Malaysian business community, seize opportunities from China's vast market, and inject fresh momentum into bilateral economic cooperation.'
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Singapore F1 tycoon Ong Beng Seng to plead guilty in case involving former transport minister Iswaran
SINGAPORE, July 28 — In a significant development, property tycoon Ong Beng Seng is set to plead guilty on August 4 to charges related to a case involving former Singapore transport minister S. Iswaran. This decision follows a pre-trial conference held on July 28. Ong, 79, who is currently out on S$800,000 (RM2.6 million) bail, has been navigating the legal system for several months. The businessman planned to plead guilty on April 2. However, this was postponed after his legal team requested additional time to obtain his medical reports. The plea was then rescheduled for July 3, but was again delayed as both the prosecution and defence required more time to file further submissions on sentencing. The case has since undergone multiple pre-trial conferences, reflecting its complexity and high stakes. In October 4, 2024, Ong was accused of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts and obstructing justice. According to court documents, Ong allegedly arranged for Iswaran to fly on his private plane from Singapore to Doha in December 2022, a flight valued at US$7,700 (RM25,372). Additionally, Ong is accused of arranging a one-night stay for Mr. Iswaran at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha, valued at S$4,737.63, and a business-class flight from Doha to Singapore, valued at S$5,700. The court documents further reveal that Ong informed Iswaran that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had seized the flight manifest for the December 2022 trip. Iswaran then told Ong to bill him for the flight to avoid investigations. As a result, Ong was charged with abetment of obstruction of justice. Ong is widely recognised for bringing Formula One (F1) to Singapore in 2008, marking the first night race in the sport's history. Iswaran, who was the chairman of the F1 steering committee and the Singapore government's chief negotiator with Singapore GP on business matters related to the race, worked closely with Ong in the mid-2000s to convince then Formula One Group chief executive Bernie Ecclestone to make Singapore the venue for the sport's first night race. Iswaran was handed a 12-month jail term on October 3, 2024, for accepting valuable items from Ong, among other charges.
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
In SRC civil suit, Umno insists RM16m from Jendela Pinggiran was bona fide donation, used funds for CSR
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — The High Court here was told today that Umno had no knowledge that the RM16 million it received from Jendela Pinggiran Sdn Bhd (JPSB) could be traced to any breach of duty or trust. Umno's counsel, Mohamed Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman, submitted that the party received the said sum as donations and contributions. 'No evidence that the plaintiffs only knew of the RM16 million sum was disbursed due to breach of duty or trust by their former directors sometime in 2019. 'Umno at all times was a bona fide recipient of the RM16 million sum and the said sum has been spent and utilised by Umno in activities and programmes that were corporate social responsibility (CSR) in nature,' he said. The counsel made the submission during the hearing of a lawsuit filed by SRC International Sdn Bhd and its two subsidiaries – Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd (GMSB) and Jendela Pinggiran Sdn Bhd (JPSB) – against Umno and Selangor Umno. Mohamed Shahrul Fazli also submitted that there is no evidence to show that former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, as the Advisor Emeritus of SRC at that time, had instructed the Board of SRC, GMSB or JPSB to disburse the RM16 million sum to Umno. 'The evidence only shows that the Board of SRC hold the ultimate decision-making authority for the management of business to fulfil SRC's objectives. 'It is clear that Datuk Seri Najib cannot, in essence or substance, be construed as a shadow director of the plaintiffs or their directing mind and will. At all times, Datuk Seri Najib's roles in the plaintiffs were due to his official capacity and subject to SRC's Articles of Association,' he added. Meanwhile, SRC's counsel Razlan Hadri Zulkifli submitted that there are no contemporaneous documents from JPSB or SRC to explain the transfer of RM16 million to Umno. He said there was also no reason whatsoever for the plaintiff to transfer, donate or gift the said sum to Umno and for the latter to receive these monies, to which Umno do not even have any relationship or knowledge of the plaintiffs, in the first place. 'Umno is harping on the fact that these monies were received by way of political donation. That is simply untenable given that Umno did not even verify or account for the RM16 million received at all times. 'Umno merely assumes the monies to be a political donation. To date, there have been no records shown whatsoever of the purpose for the transfer of RM16 million to Umno or reasons why JPSB's cheques were in the hands of Datuk Seri Najib at that material time,' he said. In the lawsuit against Umno, the plaintiffs are seeking RM16 million, which they allege was wrongfully transferred to the political party, asserting that Umno had no basis to receive the funds. The second lawsuit involves a claim of RM3.5 million against the Selangor Umno, which is also accused of receiving the funds. The hearing before Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan continues on Wednesday. — Bernama
