AMPANG (July 1): TikTok Shop Malaysia has partnered with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) to launch an online Jualan Ihsan Rahmah initiative aimed at lowering the cost of essential goods while reducing operating costs for local sellers.

Launched during the Pesta #JomLokal event on June 30, TikTok Shop said it is the first e-commerce platform to host the online initiative, which is held under the Lokal Jaga Lokal campaign and aligned with KPDN's Jom Beli Produk Malaysia (Jom Malaysia) initiative.

The platform said it is investing more than RM180 million in the initiative, which includes commission fee waivers and reductions for sellers of essential goods, shipping rebates and consumer discounts.

Under the programme, local businesses selling products across 56 eligible sub-categories, including fruits, vegetables, frozen seafood and other cooking essentials, will enjoy a zero commission fee. TikTok Shop has also expanded the waiver to five additional marketplace sub-categories comprising milk, powdered milk, non-dairy milk, ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk and fermented dairy products.

Commission fees for sellers across another 39 essential goods sub-categories, including medication, canned food and pantry items, have also been reduced by between 0.5 and 9.1 percentage points. Sellers will receive a RM2 rebate per order to help lower shipping costs nationwide, including deliveries to Sabah and Sarawak. Consumers, meanwhile, will have access to discounts on selected essential goods purchased through the initiative.

TikTok Shop Malaysia senior director of strategic partnerships Nur Azre Abdul Aziz said the initiative is intended to support both businesses and consumers at a time when affordability remains a key concern.

"We believe in leveraging our e-commerce ecosystem to create meaningful socioeconomic impact that will have a positive ripple effect across the value chain. By launching this cost-of-living relief, TikTok Shop has invested over RM180 million directly in the local communities we serve.

“It will help absorb some of the operational costs of local businesses and alleviate the cost of living for Malaysian households, while also stimulating income opportunities for employees of local MSMEs, logistics frontliners, agency partners and affiliate creators."

"There are many Malaysians who rely on their family members and also people who run errands in general to get the necessities. So with this, this campaign can actually help more people,” Nur Azre added during the launch.

Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said collaborations between the government and digital platforms can complement national efforts to improve affordability while supporting local businesses.

"The government remains committed to ensuring economic growth translates into tangible benefits for the rakyat, particularly through efforts that strengthen affordability, support entrepreneurship, and create inclusive opportunities. We welcome this proactive collaboration by TikTok Shop to help alleviate Malaysians' cost of living and stimulate domestic trade. It demonstrates how digital platforms can complement national efforts to empower local MSMEs to participate sustainably in the digital economy and elevate the purchasing power of everyday Malaysians,” said Armizan.