By James Konstantin Galvez
March 26, 2026, 08:04 GMT | Insight
Malaysia plans to centralize competition powers under the
Malaysia Competition Commission as part of long-awaited amendments expected to be tabled in June, according to MyCC CEO Iskandar Ismail. The reforms would shift authority from sector regulators such as those in energy and telecommunications, while also introducing merger control and strengthening enforcement powers.
Malaysia plans to centralize competition powers under the Malaysia Competition Commission, or MyCC, as part of long-awaited amendments to its competition law expected to be tabled in June, the country's top antitrust official said, in a move aimed at creating a stronger and more unified competition authority.
Speaking at an antitrust conference* in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, MyCC Chief Executive Iskandar Ismail said the reforms are linked to broader government policy priorities under the country’s 13th five-year development plan covering 2026–2030.
“They want to centralize the competition power under MyCC… to take away the competition powers from the energy commission, from the multimedia commission and others,” he said, adding that the changes would result in “a new MyCC, much stronger one.”
Malaysia’s competition enforcement powers are currently split across several sector regulators. These include the Energy Commission, which oversees competition issues in electricity and gas markets, and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, which regulates competition in telecommunications and digital services.
In aviation, these functions are now handled by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia following the transfer of powers from the Malaysian Aviation Commission, while Bank Negara Malaysia oversees aspects of competition in financial services.
The proposed amendments are expected to be presented to parliament midyear, following delays since 2019, when work on the reforms began before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted legislative plans.
The reforms will amend both the Competition Act 2010 and the Competition Commission Act 2010, reflecting a broader overhaul of Malaysia’s antitrust framework.
Ismail said the changes would focus on two areas. "One is to improve the powers of our investigation and enforcement. And the second one is to introduce the merger control regime,” he said.
Malaysia currently lacks a merger control framework, relying instead on prohibitions against cartels and abuse of dominance.
According to earlier draft proposals, the planned regime will adopt a hybrid model, with mandatory notification for transactions meeting certain thresholds and voluntary notification for others. Companies that fail to notify qualifying deals could face fines of up to 10 percent of the transaction value (see here).
The amendments will also refine existing provisions based on MyCC’s enforcement experience and international best practices, while strengthening the powers of the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
The reform push follows nearly 15 years of enforcement experience, which Ismail said exposed gaps in the existing law. “Any human made law… there will be weaknesses,” he said.
If enacted, the changes would mark a significant shift in Malaysia’s competition regime, consolidating authority under MyCC and aligning it more closely with international practice.
- Additional reporting by Lewis Crofts
*American Bar Association Antitrust Spring Meeting 2026. Washington, DC. March 25-27, 2026.
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