KUCHING: The Sarawak Consumer Association (PPS) has voiced serious concern over a live-stream seller who insulted East Malaysian consumers.
PPS said the seller repeatedly used vulgar language, hurled abusive remarks, and publicly mocked families of others to attract attention and boost online viewership.
PPS President, Dr Wynson Ong Teck Ping, said the behaviour constituted clear cyberbullying, involving humiliation, personal attacks, and offensive statements deliberately crafted to increase popularity through toxic online engagement.
“Numerous complaints were received from customers who, after making payments, were told to wait up to 90 or even 365 days for refunds that were later rejected,” he said in a press statement today.
“In several cases, consumers reported being blocked after requesting clarification, raising serious concerns about unethical business practices and the exploitation of vulnerable online buyers across multiple platforms,” he said.
Nationwide reports also reveal growing irregularities involving live-stream commerce, including misleading promotions, unsafe skincare products, harmful supplements and food items failing to meet hygiene and safety standards.
“Consumers have also highlighted exaggerated claims and deceptive marketing, which create false expectations and undermine public trust in the rapidly growing online shopping landscape,” he said.
He warned that these issues indicate a high-risk digital marketplace where weak oversight exposes Malaysians to fraud, manipulation and harmful behaviour driven by profit and attention-seeking tactics.
“The association stressed that failing to act will worsen youth exposure to toxic online culture, erode digital ethics and fuel tensions between East and West Malaysia due to hateful remark,” he said.
He also urged authorities to establish stricter regulations, including ethical codes for live hosts, stronger product inspections, transparent refund processes and firm penalties for abusive or discriminatory content.
He also called for a national monitoring system and increased inter-agency cooperation to curb irresponsible sellers and strengthen protection for consumers engaging in rapidly evolving digital marketplaces.
PPS will continue gathering complaints, compiling evidence and collaborating with enforcement agencies to safeguard consumer rights and prevent further damage to Malaysia’s increasingly influential online commerce sector.
Consumers may lodge complaints via the PPS official hotline at 017-7109299 for further assistance and follow-up action by the association.
