MAMBA: Avoid politicising e-commerce fee hikes, focus on MSME sustainability

Malaysian Reserve

15-07-2025

THE Malaysian Micro Business Association (MAMBA) has urged for a balanced and constructive conversation around recent fee changes by e-commerce platforms, warning against scare tactics and politicisation.
'We must avoid scare tactics and politicising important conversations that directly affect thousands of Malaysian sellers,' said MAMBA secretary-general Alvin Low Wei Yan.
'There needs to be room for discussion—so that everyone, from sellers to shoppers to platforms—can win,' he said.
Low said the influx of cheap imports, especially from China amid the ongoing trade war, is already threatening local MSMEs, adding that fee adjustments may be necessary to ensure platforms can continue investing in infrastructure and services.
'Good customer experience is not just a buyer issue – it's a seller issue too,' he said. 'Sellers benefit when platforms are seen as trustworthy and efficient.'
MAMBA stressed the importance of collaboration between government, platforms, and seller groups to protect MSMEs, warning that blanket criticism and punitive calls could harm the broader digital economy.
'Calling for authorities to threaten or punish platforms simply for raising fees is counter-productive and risks undermining the very ecosystem we are trying to strengthen,' said Low. –TMR