KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Kuching Youth Branch has questioned the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living’s (KPDN) move to require all product names and descriptions on e-commerce platforms to be written solely in Malay.
The policy, initially slated to take effect on June 24, 2025 is part of the Consumer Protection (Electronic Trade Transactions) Regulations 2024 under the Consumer Protection Act 1999 and is deemed “rushed and inconsiderate to small online businesses.”
Non-compliance could result in severe penalties, up to RM50,000 in fines or three years’ imprisonment for individuals, and RM100,000 fines for companies, upon conviction.
Repeat offenders face even harsher consequences.
Bong Siak Ping, publicity and secretary of SUPP Youth Kuching, said the sudden implementation has caused significant disruption, especially among small-scale digital entrepreneurs and young sellers operating on platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
He highlighted the lack of preparation time, translation support, and technical guidance as major concerns.
“The policy was announced with less than a week’s notice and came without clear implementation guidelines or tools.
“Small businesses are scrambling to adapt, while foreign sellers face language barriers. The result is widespread confusion,” Bong said.
Amid mounting pressure from the e-commerce community, KPDN Enforcement director Datuk Azman Adam announced that the enforcement of the new regulation would be postponed until further notice.
However, Bong described the postponement as a mere delay rather than a resolution, likening it to “boiling frog syndrome”, a reference to a slow deterioration of conditions without adequate response.
Bong also questioned the rationale behind enforcing a Malay-only requirement in an industry that thrives on international reach and English-language accessibility.
“E-commerce is inherently global and predominantly conducted in English.
“Mandating Malay usage only could isolate local sellers and hurt business competitiveness,” he said.
He further raised concerns about Sarawak’s constitutional position, noting that the state recognises both Malay and English as official languages.
Bong argued that enforcing a federal policy without considering Sarawak’s autonomy and language rights may erode its administrative freedoms.
“This policy could be interpreted as undermining Sarawak’s unique constitutional protections, especially when English remains widely used in commerce, education, and government here,” he added.
