KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — The Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry (KUSKOP) is coordinating efforts to ensure fair competition by strengthening oversight of foreign e-commerce platforms and enhancing the competitiveness of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The cross-ministerial and agency efforts involve the Finance Ministry (MOF) and the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN), covering fair competition, compliance with standards and product safety, taxation, and the regulatory framework for foreign e-commerce platforms.
“The issue was also raised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during bilateral discussions with Chinese leaders in September 2026, with follow-up measures being refined to ensure that the interests of local MSMEs remain protected,” it said on the Parliament’s website.
KUSKOP was responding to Semporna MP Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who asked about immediate mitigation measures to ensure the survival of local small traders and MSMEs threatened by an influx of ultra-cheap imported products sold directly by overseas factories to domestic consumers through e-commerce applications.
It added that it has introduced interventions to help MSMEs build resilience and improve their competitiveness, including strengthening collaboration with Alibaba to help Malaysian MSME products reach wider markets.
Initiatives being explored include pilot programmes to list Malaysian MSME products on Tmall and Taobao for the Chinese market, as well as leveraging Daraz to reach South Asian markets.
In addition, SME Corp Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding with Lazada Malaysia on Thursday (October 15) under the MSME Digital Export Initiative, covering digital export training, market matching, product listings, and promoting Malaysian brands.
Meanwhile, Bank Rakyat is also exploring strategic collaborations with Alibaba and Lazada to strengthen digitalisation, expand market access, and enhance the competitiveness of local entrepreneurs, following a working visit to Shanghai on September 22.
“As an initial step, Bank Rakyat will identify between 30 and 50 potential entrepreneurs to participate in awareness sessions, training, and mentoring with strategic partners, before selecting suitable participants for a pilot programme involving registration and marketing through e-commerce platforms,” KUSKOP said.
It is also expanding the use of MyMall as a digital marketing channel to increase the visibility of local MSME and cooperative products.
“As of October 7, 2026, a total of 5,781 entrepreneurs had registered on MyMall, generating sales worth RM24.5 million,” KUSKOP said.
Financing facilities are also available, such as under the TEKUN Online Financing Scheme (SPOT); RM4.7 million has been disbursed to 505 entrepreneurs as of 2026 to support business expansion through e-commerce platforms.
