The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living will draft a lemon law for vehicles and amend e-commerce legislation as part of consumer protection reforms.
PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) will draft and amend several key laws this year to bolster consumer protection.
Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said this includes drafting provisions for a ‘Lemon Law’ under the Consumer Protection Act 1999 to establish procedures for compensation claims involving new vehicle purchases.
“We already have relevant laws in place, but there are still loopholes that need to be addressed,” he told a press conference.
Armizan said the ministry will engage stakeholders and benchmark against international best practices for the lemon law.
The ministry will also draft or amend e-commerce laws to address rising consumer complaints and support a sustainable e-commerce ecosystem.
“We are looking at the type of regulations needed to protect consumers, ensuring that goods purchased through e-commerce platforms meet the specified quality and quantity,” he said.
These two initiatives are part of five clusters of KPDN’s legal and institutional reforms targeted for tabling in Parliament this year.
The ministry will amend the Direct Sales and Anti-Pyramid Scheme Act 1993 to strengthen oversight of direct selling and high-risk investment schemes.
It will also draft the Movable Property Security Interest Law to establish a registration system for movable property used as loan collateral.
Additionally, amendments to the Competition Act 2010 and the Competition Commission Act 2010 will empower the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) to better regulate cartels and monopolies.
Armizan said KPDN’s focus this year is also to implement action plans that deliver direct benefits to the public.
This effort will be measured by three indicators: blueprint, footprint, and imprint.
Policies and plans will be implemented through initiatives and enforcement, resulting in measurable outcomes such as price stability and public participation.
The ministry will continue the directional framework introduced in 2024, focusing on Enforcement Agility, Driving the Domestic Economy, Consumer Capability and Advocacy, and the National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL).
“For 2026, the movement of this direction will be shifted by outlining the three indicators to ensure the people’s aspirations are fulfilled,” he said.
