The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry is studying a legal framework to curb ticket scalping, such as limiting bulk purchases and excessive resale prices, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.
Deputy Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh said the ministry was engaging with event organisers and studying laws in other countries to develop the regulations.
She said ticket scalping was a serious concern as consumers could be forced to pay exorbitant prices and risk being scammed when buying from unofficial sellers.
"Currently, there are no legal provisions on ticket scalping. The ministry is engaging with event organisers, as well as conducting benchmarking studies to create a legal framework," she said in reply to a question from Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin).
She said Section 15(1) of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 empowered the minister to establish regulations to address the practice.
She said the ministry was studying regulations in Australia, Canada, Japan and Singapore, among others, including on how to define ticket scalping, determine its scope and control bulk purchases made through automated bots or people.
The ministry was also considering requiring tickets to carry holders' names or identification to prevent people from buying tickets for resale at higher prices.
Fuziah said anti-profiteering rules were difficult to apply to ticket scalping as events were often one-off occasions and standard investigations required three years of sales data.
She said the ministry was also conducting consumer awareness campaigns and engaging with event organisers to encourage voluntary monitoring of bulk ticket purchases.
"Because there are no laws yet, they have to monitor it. They must voluntarily take up that responsibility as event organisers.
"We hope that by next year, regulations can be implemented," she added.
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