Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) imposed financial penalties totaling RM415.5 million on five major chicken producers in Malaysia last year, as announced by Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali. In a statement today, he also revealed that 15 companies were fined RM1.5 million for their involvement in bid-rigging activities.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MyCC has issued three proposed decisions against 92 companies and one final decision against seven companies based on evidence of their involvement in bid-rigging cartels. The commission is actively investigating over 500 companies suspected of engaging in bid-rigging related to government tenders valued at RM2.3 billion.

In a move to strengthen MyCC’s efforts against cartel activities, the government has allocated RM27 million to the commission under Budget 2025. This marks the highest funding MyCC has received since its inception in 2011, highlighting the government’s commitment to enhancing the commission’s workflow and effectiveness.

Furthermore, Armizan mentioned that KPDN organized a competition law symposium titled ‘Behind Closed Doors: The Hidden Drivers of Market Distortion.’ The event aimed to address critical issues such as bid-rigging in public procurement, rising food prices, merger control regimes, and the dominance of digital economy players, which are essential for reinforcing MyCC’s mandate.