Online shopping is booming. But are the rules still fair?

ONLINEshopping has become part of everyday life in Malaysia. A mobile phone accessory ordered for just a few ringgit; a household item shipped from overseas at a bargain price. Often, these parcels arrive without any tax being charged. Most consumers see this as a win.

However, this short-term gain comes at the cost of long-term harm to domestic businesses as Malaysia’s market is flooded with cheap, below-cost everyday goods, displacing local manufacturers and crowding out higher-quality products.