Shopee has gotten itself in hot water recently for allowing listings of child-like dolls on its platform. Now it appears that Lazada Malaysia has been caught selling prohibited items as stores offering ball-bearing guns (BB guns) have been spotted on their platform.
As reported by The Star, BB guns are banned in Malaysia under Section 36 of the Arms Act 1960, which come in the form of handguns and rifles that are identical to real firearms and can fire ball bearings propelled by high-pressure gas. Under Section 36, a person committing the offence can be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding RM5,000, or both. While it may look like a toy, BB guns can cause serious harm to humans and animals.
Based on checks online, these Lazada store listings are offering BB guns shipped from overseas. Most of them are priced between RM35 to RM80 each, excluding shipping.
Not surprisingly, these items are prohibited under Lazada’s seller guidelines as they don’t allow BB or airsoft guns, including pellets on its platform. So how did these listings got approved in the first place? Similar to Shopee’s recent issue, it seems that eCommerce platforms are not doing enough to screen their sellers and items before it is made available to the public. Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan has raised concerns about eCommerce platforms and suggests that we should start looking into regulating these platforms.
Besides prohibited items, eCommerce platforms should also be held accountable for allowing scam stores that sell fake products on its platform. Previously, it was proposed that a special licence for online businesses will be required to protect users from scams. If implemented and enforced effectively, this licence could help put an end to fake online stores by requiring all eCommerce platforms to only accept verified sellers.
[ SOURCE ]
