KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Micro Business Association (Mamba) has urged stakeholders to engage in a balanced and constructive dialogue over recent fee structure changes by e-commerce platforms.
Mamba secretary-general Alvin Low said the focus should be on strategic cooperation between sellers, platforms, and policymakers to ensure a resilient, competitive digital marketplace.
“We must avoid scare tactics and politicising discussions that directly affect thousands of local traders in Malaysia.
“There needs to be room for discussion—so that everyone, from sellers to shoppers to platforms—can win,” Low said in a statement.
He noted that while fee hikes are difficult, larger global dynamics, such as the ongoing US-China trade war and emerging tariffs, are contributing to a surge in low-cost Chinese imports into South-East Asia, including Malaysia.
"These cheaper products risk undercutting local businesses if no proactive steps are taken.
“We are already seeing cheap imports entering the market through new and existing e-commerce platforms targeting consumers in Malaysia, undercutting local sellers and threatening their long-term survival,” he warned.
Low stressed that maintaining a competitive edge means platforms must continue to reinvest in infrastructure—such as logistics, fraud prevention, AI-powered product recommendations, and customer service—benefiting sellers as well as buyers.
“Good customer experience is not just a buyer issue—it’s a seller issue too. When platforms are seen as trustworthy and efficient, sellers gain more visibility and repeat customers,” he added.
Citing statistics from GlobalData, Mamba said Malaysia's e-commerce market is projected to reach RM67.1bil by 2028.
"To seize this growth, Low said both sellers and platforms must work hand-in-hand to meet rising consumer expectations.
While empathising with seller frustrations, Mamba warned against punitive actions or blanket criticisms that could destabilise the ecosystem.
“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,” Low said.
Mamba urged the government, seller groups, and platform operators to open channels of dialogue and forge a sustainable path forward—ensuring Malaysia’s micro, small and medium businesses remain competitive in the evolving global landscape.
