Following our earlier Alerts¹ on the ongoing review of laws relating to e-commerce, it was reported that the review, which began in April 2024, is now in its final phase and expected to be completed by August 2025.² The review aims to modernise key laws such as the Consumer Protection Act 1999 and the Electronic Commerce Act 2006.
 
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, said the Ministry aims to finalise the review and to obtain approval of the Malaysian Cabinet by end-2025, including whether to introduce a new framework or amend existing laws to make them more conducive, comprehensive and relevant to current challenges.
 
Datuk Armizan added that the review also aims to identify gaps in current legislation, assess its regulatory scope, and benchmark Malaysia’s e-commence laws against international practices and takes into account the needs of both industry and consumers, with the goal of recommending new laws or amendments and determining the most effective regulatory approach for Malaysia’s e-commerce sector.
 
The review also explores regulatory options for platform operators and sellers, though no decision has been made yet on the licensing regime or compliance models. The primary goal is to create a balanced legal framework that protects consumers while enabling business growth.
 
A town hall session with industry players will be held on 17 July 2025 to gather feedback on the proposed e-commerce regulatory framework. Several engagement sessions have also been conducted, involving the public and private sectors, industry representatives, supplemented by surveys targeting e-commerce firms and users.
 
 
Alert by Jillian Chia (Partner), Natalie Lim (Partner) and Beatrice Yew (Senior Associate) of the Intellectual Property Practice of Skrine.
 

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