What's holding up mandatory safety checks for power banks?

New Straits Times

24-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Power banks sold in Malaysia are not subject to mandatory safety checks, says Sirim, following the circulation of a viral video allegedly showing a power bank explosion.
The government-owned industrial research and technology body said the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has yet to gazette power banks as products requiring Sirim certification.
"The ministry has not mandated certification requirements for secondary battery products, including power banks," said Muhamad Kamal Sabran of Sirim Quality Assurance Services (QAS).
Kamal, who heads Sirim QAS' Electrical and Electronics Certification and Inspection Section, said manufacturers and distributors could voluntarily apply for certification.
Due to the absence of mandatory certification, there is no data on how many models have failed safety tests or have been withdrawn from the market.
However, Kamal said, Sirim continues to offer safety testing based on international standards such as MS IEC 62133, which assesses battery design to prevent overheating and internal faults.
Sirim also offers two certification schemes: Type 1b, which involves batch testing of each consignment, and Type 5, which includes factory audits and offers broader certification coverage.
Kamal said safety assessments cover a wide range of risks, including electric shock, overcharging, energy surges, fire and heat hazards, mechanical failures, and chemical exposure.
Certified power banks must include built-in protections against overcurrent, overvoltage and short circuits, and feature clear labelling of capacity, voltage, manufacturer and model details.
He advised consumers to look for Sirim labels or QR verification codes, and to avoid buying uncertified devices, especially online or from unverified sellers.
Kamal added that Sirim provides technical assistance to the ministry, Energy Commission and other authorities when needed.
When contacted, a ministry spokesman said powerbanks were not regulated under any consumer safety regulation.
"Our role is limited to handling consumer complaints, such as if a buyer is deceived or receives a defective product."
The spokesman said that the 2018 guidelines on powerbanks were now obsolete, and that safety regulations for such devices came under the purview of agencies like Sirim and the Energy Commission.
In 2017, then domestic trade and cost of living minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin announced plans for Sirim certification for all powerbanks.
However, the plan was never realised.