KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has appointed a panel of consultants to study and assess the propriety of amending the Postal Services Act 2012.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the consultants would take eight to 12 months to prepare a report on the possible amendments in line with the current changes in the postal and courier industry.

“If everything goes smoothly...we might see the amendments (to the Act) as early as 2026,” he told reporters after attending the 2024 World Post Day celebration here today.

Fahmi said that the ministry and MCMC are committed to ensuring that postal and courier services undergo necessary reforms in line with modern developments, while also emphasising the importance of improving customer service and promptly addressing the issues faced by consumers.

He said that the consultants will also conduct a comprehensive analysis of the postal companies sector, considering recent developments such as social media and social commerce, as many aspects of package and parcel delivery now involve elements of social media.

Meanwhile, Fahmi also encouraged all delivery and logistics companies to leverage technologies such as electric vehicles (EV) and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance customer service and operational efficiency.

“I believe we can optimise the use of our workforce to make jobs more efficient while simultaneously improving the quality of service.

“I don’t see the need to lay off workers by adopting AI; rather, the workforce can be adapted to new roles such as data analysts,” he said, emphasising that AI is unlikely to replace human labour but will instead change the scope and nature of jobs.

Earlier in his speech, Fahmi announced that Pos Malaysia would be receiving 1,112 electric motorcycles (eBikes) and 347 electric vans (eVans) in batches starting this month until January next year, in line with the national goal to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable development.

He noted that Pos Malaysia had previously taken significant steps toward sustainability with 200 eBikes and 143 eVans already operating in Peninsular Malaysia, while 16 of its facilities have been equipped with photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and six EV charging stations installed.

At the event, Fahmi also presented long-service awards to 16 Pos Malaysia employees who have served the company for 35 years or more.

The national-level World Post Day celebration, themed “150 Years of Facilitating Communication and Empowering People Across Borders”, also saw the launch of a special commemorative stamp set, released in conjunction with World Post Day, priced at RM50.50 each.

The set comes in a folder, which includes a stamp sheet, a miniature sheet, a First Day Cover with a stamp, and a First Day Cover with a miniature sheet.

It is available at all Pos Malaysia Philately Bureaus, including 13 General Post Offices nationwide, and online at https://shop.pos.com.my. — Bernama