The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living will table amendments to competition laws to strengthen the commission’s powers against price-fixing cartels.

SABAK BERNAM: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) is set to table amendments to the Competition Commission Act 2010 and the Competition Act 2010 by the next parliamentary session.

Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the objective is to strengthen the capacity and authority of the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) to curb cartel practices.

He said the changes would ensure four main offences linked to cartel activities can be addressed more effectively.

These offences are price-fixing, market allocation, production quotas, and bid-rigging.

“Among the areas under review is the expansion of MyCC’s powers,” he said after launching the Ihsan Food Bank initiative here.

He explained that a party found guilty by MyCC could previously appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal, but MyCC’s authority only extended to that tribunal level.

The second focus of the amendments is on broadening the commission’s investigation powers.

Armizan also revealed that 500 businesses are currently under monitoring for potential anti-competitive behaviour.

He urged the public to cooperate by providing information to relevant agencies to facilitate investigations.

The minister welcomed a recent unanimous ruling by the Competition Appeal Tribunal (TRP).

The tribunal dismissed appeals by several companies against MyCC’s December 2023 decision on chicken feed price adjustments.

MyCC said the appeals were filed by Leong Hup Feedmill Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Dindings Poultry Development Centre Sdn Bhd, FFM Berhad, and Gold Coin Feedmills (M) Sdn Bhd.

The appeals were over alleged violations of Section 4 of the Competition Act 2010.

In December 2023, MyCC imposed a total penalty of RM415.5 million on five chicken feed mill companies.

The penalty was for breaching the Act by forming a price-rigging cartel.

 The Sun Malaysia