Analysis of Malaysian Competition Law and Policies in the E-Commerce Platforms Market

Abstract

The current competition law framework in Malaysia is found in the Competition Act 2010 and Competition Commission Act 2010, supplemented by various Malaysia Competition Commission Guidelines. An analysis of the e-commerce platforms market would demonstrate the creation of complex conglomerate ecosystems surrounding a few incumbent platforms that are resistant to conventional monocentric competition laws and policies focusing on price. Consumer complaints suggest the presence of unfair, exclusionary, and exploitative practices that affect various parties in the multi-sided e-commerce platforms that depend on the platform's infrastructure. This research seeks to identify the e-commerce platforms market ecosystem in Malaysia and analyse the regulatory framework governing market competition and safeguarding consumer protection in the e-commerce platforms market in Malaysia with references to notable competition cases and trending consumer complaints. Crucially, it aims to compare the Malaysian competition laws and policies against the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act of the European Union in the context of the digital market, and employs doctrinal research, wherein the primary data is obtained through systematic content analysis of relevant reports and articles. Malaysian competition laws and policies have potential weaknesses that can be strengthened to safeguard consumer protection in the e-commerce platforms market. Article Details How to Cite