Govt considering lemon law to protect used car owners

The domestic trade and consumer sffairs ministry is looking into efforts to improve laws related to the sale and purchase of used vehicles, including the proposal for the introduction of a lemon law. 

Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said this was important as it would protect consumers from becoming victims of fraud or having to bear losses when buying used vehicles.

He said based on statistics from January to August this year, a total of 1,126 cases related to the sale and purchase of used vehicles were recorded by the Tribunal for Consumer Claims.

"As proposed by consumer associations including FMCCAM (Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Associations Malaysia), the ministry should enhance the existing legislation including by introducing a lemon law.

"At the ministry level we have discussed (the lemon law) and we are gathering industry players’ input," he told a press conference after officiating the launch of the AutoGen Plus extended warranty programme for used car owners in Kuala Lumpur today.

A lemon law protects consumers who purchase products that have a lifespan of more than six months such as cars, to address the issue of existing damages as well as the possibility of accidents and claims for the defective product.