PUTRAJAYA, July 4 — Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil today said that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is looking into regulating courier base prices to sustain the industry.
He said that he will be having a meeting with courier associations and several courier companies to discuss the matter.
“I have asked MCMC to look into it, not only due to requests from several parties, but also the need to study the effects to the ecosystem, income or even employees’ wages, apart from other considerations.
“So, we must coordinate our approach to the industry and I intend to hold a meeting with representatives of the Association of Malaysian Express Carriers (AMEC) and also the CEOs of courier companies so that they can share their views,” he said after attending the Courier Industry Appreciation Day here today.
He said the views and data gathered will be included in the presentation of Budget 2024.
In his speech, AMEC president Teong Teck Lean also said dumping has affected industry players who could not match prices, adding that there is an urgent need to set a framework to determine the base price for parcel delivery.
Dumping is a term used to describe the practice of exporters selling below normal prices in the target country.
Fahmi also said several aspects of the courier industry should be evaluated in collaboration with other agencies, such as the Malaysia Competition Commission, to ensure that its remains competitive.
These include automation, secure handling of data, and addressing unfair competition resulting from dumping practices.
“It does not only offer employment opportunities to over 160,000 individuals but also engages 100,000 workers in p-hailing services,” he said, stressing the importance of the courier industry.
He said that the National Courier Accelerator Plan initiated by the government through MCMC in 2021 aims to support the growth of the postal and courier industry, with the objective of achieving a rate of 30 parcels per capita by 2025.
It also strives to provide consumers with first-class courier services based on the foundation of the 4Rs of reliability (ensuring service quality), reach (comprehensive coverage), relevance (facilitating industry growth), and resilience (promoting sustainability).
“It is hoped that this initiative will further push the courier industry to grow from strength to strength as the main engine in ensuring the success of e-commerce and the digital economy in Malaysia,” he said.
