Kuala Lumpur: The government will introduce a more inclusive and comprehensive legal framework for the e-commerce sector to safeguard the interests of local stakeholders, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), while maintaining competitiveness.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the proposed legislation aims to support the sustainable and equitable growth of the digital economy without compromising the interests of local industry players, adding that a review of e-commerce-related laws begun in April 2024 has been completed and the final report is available on the ministry's website.
He said a Cabinet Memorandum outlining the policy direction for the new legislation is scheduled to be tabled in the first week of July before a draft Bill is prepared with input from ministries and the Attorney General's Chambers.
Armizan also said the Cabinet had agreed to establish a Special Committee on the Impact of Foreign Businesses in Malaysia to examine issues including the influx of foreign goods and services through e-commerce platforms and the misuse of immigration passes for business and employment purposes.
He said the e-commerce sector contributed RM248.2 billion, or 13.6 per cent, to Malaysia's Gross Domestic Product in 2023, with revenue rising from RM1.1 trillion in 2021 to RM1.3 trillion in 2025, while stressing that local traders, especially MSMEs, must continue to be given a fair opportunity to compete.
