SUPP Youth Slams Malay-Only E-Commerce Rule, Questions Sarawak DAP’s Silence

suppadmin | June 23, 2025

The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) will require all product names and descriptions on e-commerce platforms to be written in Malay starting June 24.

The directive, issued under the Consumer Protection (Electronic Trade Transactions) Regulations 2024 of the Consumer Protection Act 1999, carries hefty penalties: individuals face fines up to RM50,000 or three years’ imprisonment, or both; repeat offenders could face fines up to RM100,000 and five years’ jail time. Companies could be fined RM100,000 for first offenses and RM200,000 for repeat violations.

Bong Siak Ping, Publicity and Youth Secretary of SUPP Kuching Branch, criticised the policy as rushed and inconsiderate, particularly towards small online businesses.

He said many young entrepreneurs on platforms like Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop primarily use English and are now left scrambling without sufficient preparation, clear guidelines, or translation support. Foreign sellers, he added, are also affected, leading to confusion across the sector.

Following public backlash, KPDNHEP Enforcement Director Dato’ Azman Adam announced that the rule will be postponed until further notice. However, Bong described the move as a mere delay, likening it to a “boiling frog syndrome” where deeper issues remain unaddressed.

Bong further argued that the directive isolates Malaysia’s e-commerce sector from the global market, where English is the dominant language. He also questioned whether the policy infringes on Sarawak’s constitutional rights, noting that English remains an official language in the state and is widely used in governance and commerce. Imposing a Malay-only rule on Sarawak-based online businesses, he said, could be seen as undermining these rights.

He expressed disappointment over the silence of the Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP), questioning why it has not opposed what he views as an overreach by the federal government. Bong suggested that Sarawak DAP has failed to stand up for Sarawak’s interests and has instead aligned itself with Peninsular-based agendas, never openly supporting the “Sarawak First” vision despite its long-standing “Malaysian Malaysia” narrative.