THE government is firm in its uncompromising stance in combating the existence of cartels at various levels that affect the administration, economy and development of the country.
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said continuous efforts are currently being implemented to strengthen regulations and increase the effectiveness of enforcement so that the market competition ecosystem remains fair, transparent and competitive.
Explaining this in a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, he said that to date, the Malaysian Competition Commission (MyCC) has acted against 270 companies with a total financial penalty of RM687.4 million.
“In addition, 14 bid cartel cases involving 563 companies and one price-fixing cartel case involving 31 enterprises are being investigated by the agency. The MADANI government always pays serious attention and will not compromise in combating the existence of cartels that threaten the smooth development of the country.
“The ongoing steps now are to increase the effectiveness of regulation to strengthen the competitive ecosystem and prevent abuse of dominant positions in the market in line with the thrust of good governance under the MADANI Economy,” he said.
He was responding to a question from Fong Kui Lun (PH-Bukit Bintang) on the extent to which the country’s administrative and economic affairs are affected by the existence of cartels at various levels as well as the preventive and enforcement measures taken by the government.
Meanwhile, Anwar, who is also the Member of Parliament for Tambun, said among the main steps taken include strengthening enforcement actions across various ministries and agencies such as MyCC, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM).
“MyCC, which was established to enforce the Competition Act 2010 (Act 712), has the power to initiate investigations through four main methods, namely its own initiative (ex officio), public complaints, ministerial orders, and the leniency regime to obtain information from parties involved in anti-competitive activities.
“The agency also carried out seven strategic market studies in sectors such as agriculture, transport and services to identify competition issues and propose appropriate policies to ensure the market remains healthy and competitive,” he said.
Apart from MyCC, the government also assured that the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) are given full freedom to investigate any complaints related to cartels, thus proving the government’s commitment to defending the interests of the people and ensuring fair market competition. October 7, 2025
