National Consumer Policy 2.0 To Be Finalised By Year-end, Says Armizan

PENAMPANG, July 13 (Bernama) -- The drafting of the National Consumer Policy (DPN) 2.0 is in its final phase and is expected to be finalised by year-end, said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.

He said DPN 2.0 would serve as the main reference for all stakeholders in implementing consumer-related initiatives and programmes nationwide from 2026 to 2030.

Armizan said the policy would also outline the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, including those indirectly involved with consumer affairs.

“The relationship between these various stakeholders is crucial to ensuring effective implementation of consumer protection laws and the dissemination of accurate, comprehensive information to help create empowered Malaysian consumers,” he said in his speech at the 2025 Consumerism Festival here today.

Themed “Semarak Konsumerisme”, the three-day festival, which concluded today, marked the highlight of the 2025 National Consumer Day celebration and drew participation from school and university students nationwide.

The programme was organised as a key platform to gather recommendations and views on DPN 2.0, which will serve as part of the input in finalising the formulation of the consumer policy.

Armizan said DPN 2.0 was also designed to enhance preparedness in addressing current challenges within the consumer ecosystem, including weaknesses in regulatory and enforcement aspects, as well as low consumer literacy levels that were prone to exploitation.

He said other challenges included the use of products that did not comply with safety standards or were not environmentally friendly, fraudulent transactions, and the misuse of digital technology, particularly artificial intelligence.

According to him, DPN 2.0 would also place emphasis on cost of living issues through an inclusive and responsive approach, including the implementation of the Payung Rahmah MADANI Programme, broader use of the Ihsan MADANI Portal as a reference for price and essential goods information, and the application of cost of living indicators to guide consumer spending.

Meanwhile, Armizan said the Kita Pengguna Squad (SKiP) would be mobilised as a bridge between the government and the people in addressing consumerism issues in a more responsive and inclusive manner, forming the foundation for the effective implementation of DPN 2.0.

He said the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living aimed to register 25,000 SKiP members by the end of the year to strengthen its role in driving consumerism advocacy nationwide.

-- BERNAMA