The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living will prioritise drafting and amending key consumer protection laws this year, including provisions for a so-called ‘Lemon Law’ and updates to e-commerce regulations, said Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
Armizan explained that the Lemon Law, to be incorporated under the Consumer Protection Act 1999, will set out clear procedures and dispute-resolution mechanisms for compensation claims related to new vehicle purchases.
“Relevant laws are already in place, but loopholes remain. This initiative ensures effective approaches with industry support and stakeholder engagement,” he said at a press conference following his New Year address to the ministry’s staff.
The ministry will also address rising consumer complaints in the digital marketplace through e-commerce law reforms, ensuring that products sold online meet specified quality and quantity standards.
These efforts form part of five clusters of legal and institutional reforms that the ministry plans to table in Parliament this year.
Other initiatives include amendments to the Direct Sales and Anti-Pyramid Scheme Act 1993, the drafting of a Movable Property Security Interest Law and updates to the Competition Act 2010 and the Competition Commission Act 2010 to strengthen oversight of cartels, monopolies and high-risk investment schemes.
Armizan said the ministry will implement these reforms under a framework measured by three indicators: blueprint, footprint and imprint.
Policies (blueprints) will be executed through initiatives and enforcement (footprints), resulting in measurable outcomes (imprints) such as price stability, public participation and overall consumer protection.
He added that the ministry will continue to drive its 2024 directional framework, which focuses on Enforcement Agility, Driving the Domestic Economy, Consumer Capability and Advocacy and the National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL), now adapted to ensure tangible benefits for the public throughout 2026.
