E-Commerce Bill to be tabled next year to regulate online transactions, says deputy minister

KUANTAN, Oct 18 — The E-Commerce Bill will be introduced in Parliament during the inaugural session next year to enhance the oversight of online transactions, declared Deputy Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Fuziah Salleh. She disclosed that the initial draft of the Bill has been finalized and is presently being polished prior to its presentation.

"Currently, there is no distinct legislation to govern e-commerce. Consequently, we typically mediate and collaborate with online entrepreneurs and platform providers," she informed during a press conference following the conclusion of the Retail Access Programme 2026 at a hotel in Kuantan. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, during the announcement of Budget 2027 on October 9, stated that the E-Commerce Bill would be presented in the subsequent Parliament meeting to bolster the responsibility of online platforms and merchants.

Fuziah highlighted that the Retail Access Programme, which integrates training and business matching, has benefited 1,862 entrepreneurs from October 2023 to this October. She elaborated that the programme consisted of 38 training series and 21 business matching series, engaging 103 local brands and 552 stock-keeping units (SKUs).

"This initiative enables entrepreneurs to showcase their products and grasp the prerequisites set by supermarkets, thereby identifying prospects to join the retail network," she explained.