
Malaysia to attend Asean e-commerce conference on digital trade
Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh said the conference is crucial to address cross-border trade issues, as both consumers and sellers in the digital marketplace often operate from different countries.
"It's important for us to reach a mutual understanding on how to protect the e-commerce ecosystem, not only to safeguard consumers but also sellers.
"In the absence of regulations or an act that covers the entire Asean region, self-regulation becomes essential.
"These are some of the matters that will be discussed during the Asean e-commerce conference," she said.
She added that millions of businesses are now involved in e-commerce, and platform owners must ensure integrity and proper use of their platforms.
"Since e-commerce laws have yet to be tabled in Parliament, we advise platforms to practice self-regulation and uphold good practices to protect consumers," she said after the closing ceremony of the TikTok Shop Summit today.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Malaysian Reserve
3 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Dasar Wanita Negara 2025-2030 outlines inclusive push for women's development
by AKMAR ANNUAR MALAYSIA'S renewed commitment to women's empowerment takes centre stage at Parliament with the launch of a special walkabout event highlighting the National Women's Policy or Dasar Wanita Negara (DWN) and its 2025-2030 Action Plan today. Spearheaded by former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Women, Family and Community Development Minister (KPWKM) Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, the DWN is the most comprehensive update to the country's gender policy framework since 2009. The policy seeks to position women as key agents of inclusive national development, with strategic focus on four pillars — economy, leadership, safety and wellbeing — while embedding gender-sensitive budgeting, data and governance across ministries and agencies. 'It is important for a woman to raise the image of a woman and what she can contribute to the country. When the policy shows that we pay attention to this, it shows the goodness of the future, God willing, for women in the development of the country,' Dr Wan Azizah said during the event. She added that the policy must also account for the often-overlooked contributions of women in informal roles, including as unpaid homemakers and caregivers. 'As a mother and a homemaker who is not paid, it is important for us to be inspiring and provide (the necessary) support,' she said. The remarks highlight an ongoing challenge in Malaysia's labour landscape: Despite women making up nearly half of the population, their participation in the formal workforce remains low. In 2023, the female labour force participation rate stood at just 56.2% compared to 82.3% for men. Data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) further revealed that many women leave the workforce mid-career, with limited return. This is particularly acute among mothers and informal caregivers, whose economic contributions are often excluded from official productivity measures. DWN 2025-2030 aims to address this imbalance through structural reforms and support systems that enable more women to enter and remain in the workforce. These include expanding access to affordable childcare, promoting flexible work arrangements and increasing women's participation in high-growth sectors such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), artificial intelligence (AI) and green technology. Among its key targets, the policy sets an ambitious goal to raise the female labour force participation rate to 60% by 2030 and to grow the number of women entrepreneurs registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) by one million. The government also plans to strengthen leadership pipelines for women, with the aim of ensuring at least 30% female representation in decision-making positions across public and private sectors. Yet current statistics reveal a gap. As of July 2025, only 13.5% of Dewan Rakyat members and 16.1% of Dewan Negara members are women — well below the 30% benchmark recommended in the policy. The walkabout event held in Parliament was intended to rally cross-party support and catalyse institutional change to address this deficit. Nancy described the renewed policy as a catalyst for elevating Malaysia's international standing on gender equity and social inclusion, especially in line with global frameworks like the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). 'I believe that the National Women's Policy 2025-2030 will continue to serve as a strong foundation in championing women's rights in Malaysia,' she said in the preface to the executive summary of the policy document. Nancy also said the policy's emphasis on inclusivity would help improve Malaysia's scores in key global indices such as the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) and the World Competitiveness Ranking (WCR), where Malaysia currently lags behind regional peers. Malaysia ranked 114th out of 148 countries in the 2024 GGGI, with a score of 0.668. Within ASEAN, the country sits ninth among 10 member states, reflecting persisting gender gaps in economic participation, political representation and leadership. DWN 2025-2030 proposes a whole-of-nation approach to address these issues, with 12 'change drivers' and four enablers: Gender-responsive budgeting, gender-disaggregated data, gender impact assessments and gender audits. In practical terms, this means each government ministry is expected to incorporate gender-based analysis into policy development and budget planning. This includes improving access to sex-disaggregated data and introducing mechanisms to track the outcomes of policies on women's participation, safety and wellbeing. The plan also calls for a gender-inclusive public safety framework, including the introduction of a dedicated women's security sub-index within Malaysia's national safety indicators. Moreover, it encourages more women to enter traditionally male-dominated sectors such as defence, law enforcement and public order. Complementing the macro policies are proposals to strengthen social support systems and outreach programmes, including mobile health clinics for women in rural areas, expanded literacy on legal rights and improved digital infrastructure for women entrepreneurs in Sabah and Sarawak. The policy also outlines the creation of a Women's Leadership Hub and a national campaign to promote visibility and public trust in female leaders. This includes strategic use of media and community engagement to amplify the contributions of women at all levels of society — from Parliament to the 'kampung'. Ultimately, DWN 2025-2030 reaffirms the government's commitment to build a fairer and more competitive Malaysia by unlocking the potential of its female population. By removing structural barriers and investing in inclusive systems, the policy aims to reposition women not as secondary stakeholders, but as equal partners in the nation's growth. 'The success of a nation lies in its ability to empower all its people — and that includes women in every sphere of life,' Nancy said. The full implementation of DWN 2025-2030 will span the next five years, synchronised with the national development planning cycle, and will be spearheaded by the Women's Development Department under KPWKM.


The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Myanmar to exhibit about 80 booths at 22nd China-Asean Expo in September
YANGON: Myanmar will exhibit about 80 booths at the 22nd China-Asean Expo, which will be held in Nanning, capital city of South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, from Sept 17 to Sept 21, state-owned daily The Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Sunday (July 27). Myanmar will participate in the expo as the Country of Honor and explore market access for Myanmar's agro-based SMEs' products into the Chinese market, the report said, adding that Myanmar's high-quality gemstones will also be displayed at the expo. The expo provides a platform to promote the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement 3.0, it said. It helps strengthen friendship between the participating countries and generate trade benefits, it added. Myanmar joined in China-Asean Expo in 2005, the report said. - Xinhua


New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Analyst: Malaysia leans on quiet engagement to seek favourable tariffs revision
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia remains locked in quiet engagement and possibly embracing a deliberate positioning with the United States (US) to lower the 25 per cent tariffs on its exports to the American markets as the Aug 1 deadline approaches. Unlike other Asean countries, which have struck quick deals with Washington, SPI Asset Management managing partner Stephen Innes said Malaysia's more measured response to the impending US tariffs likely reflects deliberate positioning rather than passivity. He said that contrary to countries pursuing headline-grabbing diplomacy, Malaysia often leans on quiet engagement and multilateral cooperation to navigate complex trade tensions. With the Aug 1 deadline nearing, exporters and investors are keeping a close watch on the outcome of these negotiations, which would reshape the cost dynamics of doing business between Malaysia and its third-largest trading partner. While regional peers such as Indonesia and Vietnam have already struck last-minute deals to reduce their tariffs to 19 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively, Malaysia is still seeking favourable terms that safeguard local industries without compromising national interests. The proposed tariffs — a revival of protectionist measures introduced during President Donald Trump's first term — have stirred fresh uncertainties across Southeast Asia, where economies are deeply embedded in global supply chains. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has described the ongoing talks with the US as progressing well, with emphasis on striking a balanced outcome. "This low-profile approach fits with Malaysia's broader strategy, namely maintaining economic openness, avoiding entanglement in great power rivalries, and preserving regional alignment within Asean. "By staying restrained, Malaysia may be aiming to protect its long-term credibility as a stable, rules-based partner," said Innes. That said, he cautioned that the exposure is real as Malaysia's export economy is heavily tilted toward electrical and electronic goods, precision machinery, and intermediate components, many of which plug directly into US-bound supply chains. A 25 per cent tariff could disrupt flows, especially in semiconductors, sensors, and specialised modules that are difficult to reroute, he said. "The pain would be felt most in hubs like Penang, where small and medium enterprises and multinationals are deeply intertwined. "While some firms could shift volumes elsewhere, the high-tech nature of these exports makes substitution harder than it sounds," said Innes. The absence of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US limits Malaysia's negotiating toolkit, but Innes believed it doesn't shut the door entirely. He pointed out that Malaysia remained strategically important to US firms seeking reliable, non-China supply bases, which provides leverage particularly if Malaysia targets exemptions for specific sectors tied to US industrial or security interests, such as chip packaging or electric vehicle components. While countries like Indonesia have dangled major purchases to secure tariff relief, Malaysia's options are different, Innes said. "It is unlikely to buy its way into a deal with big-ticket orders. Instead, it can offer alignment, which is co-investment opportunities in green tech, digital infrastructure, or rare-earth refining," he said. According to Innes, these would support Malaysia's industrial roadmap while offering Washington something it values: supply chain resilience and diversification, but from a policy standpoint, the trade-off is nuanced. He noted that offering short-term concessions or budget support might help shield critical sectors from long-term dislocation. "But any deal must be carefully structured. It should channel benefits beyond just large exporters towards local suppliers, workers, and tech development ecosystems," said Innes, highlighting that if no deal is reached, the impact may not be catastrophic at a national level, but could be meaningful in key sectors. "Export growth could slow, investment plans may be paused, and employment could tighten in affected industries. The greater risk is longer-term: losing ground in a global supply chain reshuffle that increasingly rewards agility and alignment. Malaysia still has room to move, but the window is closing," he added. Meanwhile, Moody's Analytics economist Denise Cheok said Malaysia's economic exposure to the US through value-added trade is more significant than headline export figures suggest. Citing calculations based on OECD Trade in Value Added (TiVA) data, Cheok said that Malaysian domestic value added embedded in foreign final demand to the US accounted for slightly over 5.0 per cent of the country's gross domestic product. She noted that this includes not only direct exports of final goods but also intermediate components that eventually reach the American consumers and provide a more comprehensive measure than gross exports alone. "This compares to over 9.0 per cent of GDP for Singapore, which is highly trade-exposed, and about 2.0 per cent of GDP for Indonesia, which is more domestically focused and not as reliant on exports to the US," Cheok said. If the full 25 per cent tariff is imposed without any rerouting of supply chains, Cheok estimates the impact could shave up to 2.6 per cent off Malaysia's GDP in 2025, with the effects likely to be uneven across sectors. "The key manufacturing sector is likely to be hit hard — not only by the direct impact of the tariffs but also by global supply chain disruptions caused by the uncertainty surrounding tariff policies," she said. Cheok added that Malaysia, like many of its Southeast Asian peers, relies heavily on exports as part of its growth model, and structural changes to this would be difficult, even in the long term. "The fractured relationship between the US and its trading partners will likely continue beyond the next three years, and Malaysia should continue strengthening its trade relations with other economies, including Asean, as a counterbalance to this," she said. — BERNAMA