Fahmi: Govt agencies to work together to tighten e-commerce rules, curb sale of prohibited goods

Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said such cooperation was important as there were still gaps in the country’s e-commerce ecosystem, particularly as e-commerce platforms are currently not subject to licensing. — Bernama pic

First Published: Tuesday, 08 Sep 2026 3:19 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — The Communications Ministry is prepared to work with the Home Ministry, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, police and relevant agencies to strengthen e-commerce regulation and curb the sale of prohibited goods, said Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.

He said such cooperation was important as there were still gaps in the country’s e-commerce ecosystem, particularly as e-commerce platforms are currently not subject to licensing.

“There are indeed gaps in the e-commerce system. At present, e-commerce is not yet licensed, so we need to look into this matter,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Huawei WAIC Connect Malaysia 2026 Symposium today.

Fahmi said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had held a meeting with a major platform yesterday, but he had yet to receive an update on the outcome of the meeting as of this morning.

He said most e-commerce platforms in Malaysia prohibit the sale of prohibited products, including drugs such as fentanyl, but expressed concern that one platform appeared to be too lax in allowing such products to be offered.

“The accounts selling these prohibited products may be fake accounts,” he said.

Fahmi stressed that platforms needed to address the issue of fake accounts being created and the sale of prohibited products, rather than merely removing search keywords, which could make such products harder to find without addressing the actual problem.

“That should not be the way,” he said, adding that platforms needed to prevent fake accounts from being created for the purpose of selling drugs.

Previously, MCMC was instructed to hold meetings with e-commerce platforms following concerns over the online sale of drugs, including fentanyl and a substance referred to as “piu-piu”.

Fahmi said he had received a message from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding the phenomenon, which was seen as increasingly worrying. — Bernama