Monday, April 12, 2010

Competition Bill Will Prevent Monopoly and Protect Consumers

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (Bernama) -- The Competition Bill 2010 to prevent monopoly and cartel activities by big companies was tabled for first reading in Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob said the bill's aim was to encourage economic growth by protecting competition and consumers' interest.

He also tabled the Competition Commission Bill 2010 for establishment of the commission responsible for enforcing the Competition Act.

Under the Competition Bill, big companies in the same trade are prohibited from making agreements to prevent or hinder competition in the market.

Ismail said the companies are also prohibited from price fixing, directly or indirectly and can be fined not more than RM5 million for the first offence and not more than RM10 million for the second and subsequent offences.

Individuals can be fined not more than RM1 million or jailed not more than five years' or both for the first offence.

They can be fined not more than RM2 million or jailed not more than five years' or both for the second and subsequent offfences.

-- BERNAMA

1 comment:

Sakura said...

Hello Casey,
I've came across your article on google and been trying to contact you since 2008. Wanted to interview you for my masters disertation on Competition Law and Policy focusing on Malaysia but in the end I changed my topic to ECN. If you do not mind, may I have your email address so that I could contact you personally? There are things to ask regarding mergers.

Ernie
UiTM