What is the difference between SIRIM QAS and MCMC?

The two bodies coexist without overlap. SIRIM QAS International is the product-certification body, a subsidiary of SIRIM Berhad (formerly the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia): electrical safety, EMC outside radio, compulsory certification under the DKM scheme run by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living. MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) is the telecoms and radio regulator, established under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998: spectrum, transmitter type approval, terminal approval. A product with a radio function typically falls under both, SIRIM marking and MCMC label affixed in parallel.

Is the SIRIM Mark mandatory for all products?

No. The SIRIM Mark issued under the DKM scheme (Sijil Diluluskan dan Berdaftar, the Malaysian compulsory certification framework) applies to product categories that have been declared regulated: certain household appliances, certain heating and lighting devices, certain low-voltage electrical accessories. Products outside these categories fall under a voluntary declaration regime or general conformity to the Consumer Protection Act. The compulsory list is published by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living and updated periodically. A project must check the current list before assuming the applicable regime.

Can an IEC CB-Scheme report be reused for SIRIM?

Yes, broadly so for the safety and EMC part. Malaysian Standards (prefix MS) largely transpose IEC and CISPR standards. A CB-Scheme report issued by an IECEE-recognised lab serves as a technical basis accepted by SIRIM QAS for issuing the certificate, subject to review of national deviations. The Malaysian certificate itself is still issued by SIRIM QAS within the DKM scheme; the CB report does not carry certificate status. Radio (MCMC) follows a separate regime, the CB-Scheme does not cover it.

Does MCMC type approval replace SIRIM certification?

No. MCMC certifies the radio leg: emissions, frequency plans, power, spectral behaviour, conformity of telecoms terminals. It does not address electrical safety or EMC outside radio. For a consumer product with a Wi-Fi or cellular module and mains supply, both dossiers run in parallel: MCMC for radio, SIRIM QAS for safety and EMC. Omitting either leg is a recurrent reason for customs blockage or market-surveillance withdrawal.

Is a local representative required in Malaysia?

Yes for both schemes. The SIRIM QAS dossier and the MCMC application are filed by a Malaysian-resident entity: official importer, local subsidiary or specialised agent appointed by the foreign manufacturer. The representative carries the obligation to provide the documentation, pays the fees, receives the certificates and is the contact point for clarification requests or market surveillance. Without a representative no filing is possible and market access is blocked.

What language for labelling in Malaysia?

English is broadly accepted for technical and regulatory information. Bahasa Malaysia is required for end-user information in the categories regulated by the Consumer Protection Act: warnings, safety notices, safety instructions addressed to the general public. The market practice is bilingual English and Bahasa Malaysia labelling on packaging and in the user manual, with technical marking in English. The MCMC number and the SIRIM Mark are affixed clearly on the product.

Which frequency bands are open under MCMC?

Malaysia is in ITU Region 3. MCMC publishes its Spectrum Plan and its Class Assignments, which define bands open to unlicensed use and the applicable power limits. Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz are open with their own EIRP limits, 5G has been deployed in the mid band by the commercial operators, and several sub-GHz LPWA bands are open with allocations that differ from European or US plans. Any band declaration must be checked against the current MCMC Spectrum Plan, not against an ETSI or FCC dossier transposed as is.

What are the most frequent pitfalls?

Four recur: omission of the MCMC submission for a product whose radio is treated as ancillary, mis-classification in the DKM list (a product assumed out of scope while it is compulsory), missing or late-appointed local representative, and band plan copied from an ETSI or FCC dossier without checking the MCMC Spectrum Plan. To this adds the operator acceptance confusion: Malaysian commercial operators, CelcomDigi resulting from the 2022 merger, Maxis and U Mobile, may require a separate network qualification beyond the MCMC approval for IoT integration.

Malaysia SIRIM and MCMC: product and radio certification

Author Hugues Orgitello Last updated 27 May 2026 ~12 min read

Guide - SIRIM / MCMC, Malaysia

Certifying an electronic product for Malaysia rests on two distinct regulators whose scopes are complementary. SIRIM QAS International, a subsidiary of SIRIM Berhad, is the product-certification body: electrical safety, EMC outside radio, compulsory DKM scheme for the regulated categories. MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission), a regulator established under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, handles radio and telecoms: transmitter type approval, terminal approval, frequency plans. This page presents the institutional map, the scope of each scheme, the role of Malaysian Standards (prefix MS) and their transposition of IEC standards, bilingual English and Bahasa Malaysia labelling rules, operator acceptance beyond regulatory approval, and the recurrent pitfalls tied to dual filings.

Institutional map

The Malaysian market is governed by several authorities whose scopes complement each other without overlap. The first step in a dossier is to identify the certificates to obtain and to designate the right interlocutor for each leg.

Actor	Scope	Type of decision
SIRIM QAS International (subsidiary of SIRIM Berhad)	Electrical safety, EMC outside radio, DKM compulsory certification	SIRIM certificate and right to affix the SIRIM Mark
MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission)	Radio, telecoms, spectrum, terminals	MCMC type approval, approval label
Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living	DKM compulsory framework, list of regulated categories	Designation of compulsory products
Department of Standards Malaysia (JSM)	Publication of Malaysian Standards (prefix MS)	National standards, IEC transposition
Customs (RMCD)	Physical control at import	Verification of marking and certificates

SIRIM Berhad is the national standardisation institute, descended from the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia, restructured into a government-owned company. SIRIM QAS International is its dedicated subsidiary for certification, testing and inspection activities: it runs accredited laboratories and issues product certificates under the DKM scheme (Sijil Diluluskan dan Berdaftar) framed by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living.

MCMC is an independent sectoral regulator established by the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA 1998). Its scope covers radio, telecoms, multimedia and broadcasting. For consumer and industrial electronics, MCMC is involved as soon as a product carries an intentional emitter: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, LPWA, remote control, active RFID.

This two-organisation architecture is the Malaysian specificity, comparable in logic to the CITC / SASO split in Saudi Arabia but with its own history and vocabulary.

SIRIM QAS and the DKM scheme

The SIRIM Mark is the marking that SIRIM QAS authorises a manufacturer or its representative to affix, by contract, on products covered by a valid certificate. It exists in two versions: a voluntary version for general conformity to Malaysian Standards, and a compulsory version for the categories regulated under the DKM scheme.

Compulsory scope

The DKM scheme, run by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, defines the product categories for which SIRIM certification is made mandatory before market access.

Indicative DKM category	Covered examples
Regulated household appliances	Kettles, irons, mixers, certain small kitchen appliances
Lighting	Lamps, fixed luminaires for domestic use, associated ballasts
Low-voltage electrical accessories	Plugs, sockets, wall switches, extension leads, adaptors
Heating and water-heating appliances	Electric water heaters, certain portable heating appliances
Regulated cables and conductors	Certain types of supply cables and flexible cords

The compulsory list is published by the Ministry and updated periodically. It does not cover the entire consumer electronics field: computers, smartphones, IT equipment usually fall under a voluntary regime or under general conformity, whereas mains-powered domestic appliances within the regulated categories are almost systematically included. An electronics project must check the current DKM list before assuming the applicable regime.

Malaysian Standards and IEC references

Malaysian Standards carry the MS prefix followed by a number. A significant share of the electronics collection transposes IEC standards, sometimes with national deviations:

IEC 62368-1 transposed in the MS series for audio, video and IT,
IEC 60335-1 transposed in MS for general appliances, complemented by MS 60335-2-x by category,
IEC 61010-1 transposed for instrumentation and measurement,
CISPR 32 and CISPR 35 taken up for EMC emissions and immunity,
the IEC 61000-4 series taken up for specific immunity tests.

The practical consequence for a European manufacturer is significant: an EN 62368-1 report or a CB-Scheme report issued by an IECEE-recognised lab can serve as a technical basis accepted by SIRIM QAS, subject to verification of Malaysian national deviations.

Typical SIRIM QAS procedure

1. Malaysian-resident representative files the application
   with SIRIM QAS, with the product documentation.
2. Technical file review (test reports, product sheets,
   manuals, photos, rating plate).
3. Sampling and verification testing in a SIRIM QAS lab
   or recognised lab.
4. Manufacturer quality-system evaluation for schemes
   with surveillance (factory audit per category).
5. Issuance of the SIRIM certificate, authorisation to
   affix the SIRIM Mark, typically renewable validity.
6. Periodic surveillance per scheme (testing on samples
   drawn from the market where applicable).

The weight of the scheme on overall project duration depends on the category: compulsory categories with factory audit are the longest, the voluntary SIRIM Mark is faster. For cross-cutting orders of magnitude, see the certification timeline.

MCMC, the radio and telecoms leg

MCMC certifies radio equipment and telecoms terminals intended for the Malaysian market under a per-model type-approval scheme. The scope covers any product that emits intentionally and any terminal connecting to a public network.

MCMC certification routes

MCMC distinguishes several routes by product category:

MCMC route	Indicative scope	Scrutiny level
Type Approval (Standard Certification)	Conventional radio equipment, terminals subject to formal review	Full filing, testing in a recognised lab
Self-Declaration of Conformity	Categories open to declaration on the basis of predefined technical criteria	Declaration with dossier kept on file, post-market control
Special Approval	Edge cases, limited imports, derogations	Case-by-case examination

The boundary between Type Approval and Self-Declaration is set by the Class Assignments and the regulations in force. A mis-classification (for instance a product filed under Self-Declaration when it falls under Type Approval) is a common cause of non-conformity.

Spectrum Plan and Malaysian band plan

Malaysia is in ITU Region 3. MCMC publishes its Spectrum Plan and Class Assignments which open certain bands to unlicensed use and fix the applicable power limits.

Band	EU (ETSI)	US (FCC)	Malaysia (MCMC)
Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz	EN 300 328	Part 15.247	Open, own EIRP limits
Wi-Fi 5 GHz (U-NII)	EN 301 893	Part 15.407	Open per sub-band, plan to check sub-band by sub-band
Wi-Fi 6 GHz (unlicensed)	Open with conditions varying by member state	Opened by the FCC	Status to be checked against the current Spectrum Plan
5G mid band	Deployed	Partially deployed	Deployed by commercial operators
Sub-GHz LPWA	868 MHz (ERC 70-03)	915 MHz (Part 15.247)	ITU Region 3 allocation, plan distinct from the two above
Cellular (LTE, NR)	3GPP bands authorised by member state	3GPP bands authorised by the FCC	3GPP bands authorised by MCMC, Region 3 subset

The operational conclusion is the same as for other non-EU non-US regulators: a radio firmware configured on the basis of an ETSI or FCC dossier does not necessarily respect the Malaysian plan. The embedded regulatory-domain tables must include a properly populated Malaysia entry. For the EU radio reference, see RED, for the US radio reference FCC.

MCMC label

MCMC approval is materialised by a label or a number to be affixed on the product in an area visible without disassembly. The label carries the certification number and the MCMC regulatory identifier. The form and minimum size are specified by the MCMC regulations. A missing MCMC label on a radio product is grounds for customs blockage and for market-surveillance withdrawal, even if the certificate is valid.

Malaysian local representative

For both schemes, SIRIM QAS and MCMC, the filing must be carried by a Malaysian-resident entity. The foreign manufacturer cannot file directly.

Duties

File the dossier with SIRIM QAS and MCMC, manage payments, receive the certificates,
Retain documentation and make it available in case of clarification requests or surveillance,
Interact with the testing laboratories, organise sampling, accompany factory audits where applicable,
Serve as contact point for MCMC, SIRIM QAS and market-surveillance services,
Update the dossier when the product evolves (radio firmware change, hardware modification touching safety or EMC).

Possible profiles

Malaysian official importer where one exists and accepts the duty,
Local subsidiary of the manufacturer, if legally constituted in Malaysia,
Specialised certification agent, the common pattern for foreign manufacturers without direct presence.

The representative's responsibility is legal and continuous. For the general framework of obligations weighing on this actor, see authorised representative and importer obligations.

Bilingual labelling, English and Bahasa Malaysia

English is broadly accepted for technical information on the product and in regulatory documentation. Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) is an official language and its use is required for end-user information in the categories regulated by the Consumer Protection Act.

Bilingual scope

Safety warnings on the product and in the consumer-facing manual,
Use instructions for consumer products covered by the DKM,
Specific cautions (for instance on heating and water-heating appliances),
Packaging for the categories regulated under consumer-protection law.

Technical marking (rating plate, electrical indications, SIRIM certificate number, MCMC number) remains in English. The standard market practice is bilingual packaging and bilingual manual, the product itself carrying technical indications in English and, where applicable, bilingual safety warnings on safety-critical surfaces.

Permanence and legibility

The SIRIM Mark and the MCMC label follow the same rules as other regulatory markings: legibility without magnification, position accessible without disassembly, permanence for the product life cycle. Permanence is verified during surveillance through simple durability tests (wet rubbing, alcohol, light abrasion per the relevant inspection references).

Operator acceptance, beyond MCMC

MCMC approval enables market access but does not guarantee that a cellular or IoT product will be accepted on a commercial network. Malaysian operators may require a separate network qualification through their own laboratories or via 3GPP homologation.

Operator	Status	Context
CelcomDigi	Major cellular operator	Formed by the 2022 merger between Celcom (Axiata) and Digi (Telenor), today the largest Malaysian cellular base
Maxis	Historical cellular operator	National coverage, 5G deployment
U Mobile	Cellular operator	Fourth operator in the market, progressive 5G deployment

For a module or a cellular IoT product, operator acceptance generally runs through:

PTCRB or GCF homologation at international level, the cellular baseline recognised by most operators worldwide,
operator-specific acceptance test plan (coverage of the bands used, radio quality, modem behaviour, IMS, VoLTE where applicable),
IMEI registration where relevant.

This acceptance layer is independent of MCMC approval: a product can be MCMC-compliant and still be refused by an operator if the network qualification has not been passed. Conversely, a product qualified to 3GPP and accepted at an operator does not exempt the manufacturer from filing with MCMC.

SIRIM Eco-Labelling, sustainability track

The SIRIM Eco-Labelling Scheme is a voluntary scheme run by SIRIM QAS that certifies a product's environmental performance against per-category criteria. It has no market-access regulatory reach and is therefore not a prerequisite for SIRIM or MCMC conformity.

It is, however, relevant to manufacturers targeting Malaysian public procurement or wishing to evidence an environmental approach. For the general framework of environmental labels and their interplay with product conformity, see the glossary.

SIRIM and MCMC compared with CE and FCC

Criterion	CE (EU)	FCC (US)	SIRIM + MCMC (Malaysia)
Scope	Marking covering several directives (RED, LVD, EMC, RoHS, etc.)	Radio conformity (Part 15, Part 22, etc.), safety via OSHA / NRTL	MCMC for radio, SIRIM QAS for the rest, certified separately
Central mechanism	Self-declaration by the manufacturer, archived technical file	TCB type approval for radio, NRTL listing for safety	MCMC type approval for radio + SIRIM QAS certification for safety and EMC
IEC report reuse	IEC 62368-1 and others accepted as is or via EN	Acceptable for safety (UL, IEC basis)	CB-Scheme broadly accepted by SIRIM QAS subject to MS national deviations
Product identifier	Notified body number where applicable	FCC ID	MCMC approval number + SIRIM certificate number
Local representative	EU authorised representative if manufacturer outside EU	FCC agent	Malaysian-resident importer or agent, mandatory for both schemes
Labelling language	Language of the member state of placing on the market	English	English accepted, Bahasa Malaysia required for consumer information
Validity	No duration, as long as the product remains compliant	No duration for the FCC grant	Renewable certificates, periodic surveillance per scheme

Reading the table makes the Malaysian specificity visible: a two-body central architecture (SIRIM QAS and MCMC), a per-category compulsory scope (DKM) rather than a transversal directive, and an additional operator-acceptance layer for cellular.

Test recognition and agreements

Malaysia is party to several technical recognition agreements that facilitate reuse of foreign test reports, primarily for safety and EMC:

IECEE CB-Scheme: SIRIM QAS broadly recognises CB-Scheme reports issued by IECEE labs as the technical basis for product certificates, subject to review of national deviations.
Standards Malaysia (JSM): ISO and IEC member, ensuring structural alignment of Malaysian Standards with the international references.
APEC TEL MRA: regional recognition arrangement for telecoms equipment, which can facilitate acceptance of radio conformity reports between signatory economies. Operational reach remains framed by MCMC regulations and each filing is processed under the national framework.

There is no general EU - Malaysia agreement equivalent to the EU - US MRA on product conformity. A CE-certified product must therefore rebuild its SIRIM dossier via a SIRIM QAS certificate and obtain an MCMC type approval for the radio. The CB-Scheme report accelerates the procedure but does not substitute for the Malaysian certificate.

Step-by-step procedure for a radio consumer product

Typical sequence for a European manufacturer tackling Malaysia for the first time.

Freeze product specifications (hardware, firmware, antenna, accessories) and identify the applicable regimes: MCMC for radio, SIRIM QAS for safety and EMC, DKM compulsory where the category requires.
Designate a local representative in Malaysia, importer or specialised agent, by written contract. Without a representative, no filing.
Check the DKM list in force and the product category. Confirm whether the SIRIM Mark is compulsory or voluntary.
Map the applicable Malaysian Standards (MS prefix) and their national deviations from the equivalent IEC. Identify the CB-Scheme reports already available.
Prepare the SIRIM QAS filing: product dossier, test reports, manuals, rating plate, photos. Submission through the local representative.
Prepare the MCMC type approval: collect existing radio reports (ETSI, FCC, 3GPP), compare with the MCMC Spectrum Plan, run complementary tests where needed. Filing through the local representative.
Design the final label: SIRIM Mark where applicable, MCMC number, bilingual English and Bahasa Malaysia for consumer-facing information, technical indications in English.
Operator acceptance for cellular products: pass network qualification at CelcomDigi, Maxis or U Mobile depending on the commercial target, with PTCRB or GCF upstream.
Maintenance: renewal of certificates per the scheme, periodic surveillance by sampling (compulsory categories), management of product changes (any radio change may invalidate the MCMC type approval, any safety change may invalidate the SIRIM certificate).

For the orders of magnitude of each phase, see the certification timeline.

Common pitfalls

Pitfall	Consequence
Omitting the MCMC submission, assuming the radio is ancillary	Radio type approval absent, customs blockage or surveillance withdrawal
Mis-classification in the DKM list	Product assumed out of scope while it is compulsory, non-conforming market entry
Designating the local representative late in the project	Filing blocked, industrialisation delay, first shipment compromised
Copying the ETSI or FCC band plan without checking the MCMC Spectrum Plan	Radio non-conformity, type approval refused or suspended
Labelling in English only for DKM consumer products	Consumer Protection Act breach, recall or surveillance refusal
Confusing MCMC approval with operator acceptance for cellular	MCMC-compliant product refused by CelcomDigi, Maxis or U Mobile for lack of network qualification
Overlooking national deviations on Malaysian Standards	Incomplete CB-Scheme report, supplementary tests mid-review
Omitting SIRIM or MCMC updates after product modification	Certificates no longer applicable to the product actually shipped