Malaysia Plans E-commerce Accountability Bill to Strengthen Platform Regulation
The Malaysian government is drafting an E-commerce Accountability Bill aimed at filling regulatory gaps in cross-border e-commerce. The new law will not mandate local registration for cross-border sellers but will hold platforms accountable for violations by foreign merchants, enhancing due diligence obligations.
What are the key facts?
- 1Legislative Process: Memorandum expected to be submitted in July 2026
- 2Key Content: Platform liability for foreign merchants selling counterfeit or violating regulations
- 3Scope: Local registration for cross-border sellers not mandatory
What happened?
The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living in Malaysia is preparing the E-commerce Accountability Bill to enforce stronger self-regulatory management by platforms over cross-border sellers, focusing on combating counterfeiting and unfair competition.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
Cross-border sellers operating in Malaysia need to ensure strict compliance with intellectual property regulations for their listed products to avoid restrictions on their stores due to tightening of platform liability clauses.