POS MALAYSIA WELCOMES MYCC REVIEW, FLAGS E-COMMERCE PLATFORM DOMINANCE

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 (Bernama) -- Pos Malaysia Bhd welcomed the Malaysia Competition Commission's (MyCC) Market Review of Malaysia’s digital economy, which provides an evidence-based assessment of competition across key sub-sectors.

The national postal and parcel service provider said the review reaffirmed long-standing concerns over market concentration, platform dominance, vertical integration and practices that could restrict competition and consumer choice.

"MyCC’s report states that major e-commerce platforms in Malaysia collectively account for a significant share of marketplace activity and influence downstream service markets through operational practices, including the masking of delivery options and self-preferencing through vertically integrated logistics arms.

"From Pos Malaysia’s perspective, the ability for consumers and sellers to choose their preferred courier is a core principle of fair competition. Practices that algorithmically restrict or remove courier choice risk distorting the market, entrenching platform dominance and weakening the long-term resilience of Malaysia’s domestic logistics ecosystem," it said in a statement.

Pos Malaysia said the findings are consistent with its assessment that, since the introduction of delivery masking practices in 2021, domestic courier competition has become increasingly uneven, particularly disadvantaging national and regional service providers operating extensive nationwide networks.

Pos Malaysia noted it continues to face structural pressures, including declining letter volumes, rising Universal Service Obligation costs and intensifying competition in a platform-dominated parcel market.

It reiterated the need for coordinated regulatory reforms to preserve consumer choice, ensure a level playing field and sustain critical national infrastructure.

Group chief executive officer Charles Brewer said competition policy must ultimately serve consumers and the company sees how market structures that limit genuine choice or weaken the long-term sustainability and reliability of nationwide delivery networks ultimately affect the people who depend on them.

"A balanced ecosystem must support competition while ensuring essential services remain resilient, reliable and accessible to all Malaysians, not just those in major urban centres," he said.

Pos Malaysia said competition policy, sectoral regulation and national service obligations must evolve in a coordinated, evidence-based manner, ensuring growth benefits consumers, businesses and the wider economy.

-- BERNAMA