E-Commerce Bill set for first parliamentary sitting next year

KUANTAN: The E-Commerce Bill, aimed at strengthening accountability among online platforms and sellers, will be tabled at the first parliamentary sitting next year.

Deputy Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh said the draft was being refined.

"Currently, we do not have specific legislation governing e-commerce. In most cases, we facilitate negotiations by acting as intermediaries between online entrepreneurs or sellers and marketplaces," she said after the closing ceremony of the Retail Access Programme here yesterday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling the 2027 Budget on Oct 9, had announced the government would introduce the bill to regulate e-commerce platforms operating in Malaysia.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Retail Chain Association president Datuk Liew Bin said the bill was crucial to fostering a healthy digital economy.

"We are not against foreign investment, nor are we opposed to e-commerce growth. Online and brick-and-mortar retail can complement each other," he said.

He added that the proposed legislation would clearly delineate the liabilities of e-commerce platforms and merchants, tighten oversight of non-compliant goods, enhance seller verification and dispute resolution mechanisms, and enforce tax transparency to ensure cross-border sellers compete on an equal footing with Malaysian merchants.

Meanwhile, Fuziah said the Retail Access Programme had assisted 1,862 entrepreneurs from 2023 to this month.

She said the programme served as a stepping stone for micro-entrepreneurs to expand their businesses by showcasing their products and understanding supermarket requirements.