: Global consumer advocacy group Consumer Choice Center has submitted a three-point Budget 2021 recommendation to the government that is aimed at protecting consumers from the black market.
CCC managing director Fred Roeder said the tobacco black market, for example, hurt all Malaysian consumers as it causes the government to lose RM5 billion in uncollected tax annually, harm legitimate retailers and fuels corruption at all levels of the public sector. For Budget 2021, he said the CCC recommended that a special allocation should be put in place for relevant government ministries and agencies to conduct roadshows throughout the country to educate consumers and deter them from buying black market products.
The third recommendation is for the government to give more funding for better enforcement, especially in the e-commerce space.