Introducing SIRIM and Its Certification Scope: How Toys, Electrical and Communications Products Are Divided

In Malaysia, if your product is a toy, an electrical, electronic or communications device, sooner or later you will run into the name SIRIM. SIRIM (Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia) is itself the national standards and industrial research institute; the body that actually carries out testing, auditing and certification is its wholly owned subsidiary SIRIM QAS International Sdn Bhd, which sits within the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) system. The key idea: SIRIM is not a rule-issuing regulator, but the third-party conformity assessment and testing body designated by the various competent authorities (such as the Energy Commission ST, the Ministry of Domestic Trade KPDN, and the Communications Commission MCMC). Whether your product needs certification is decided by the regulations; the "technical work" of certification mostly falls to SIRIM.

What SIRIM certification covers

In other words, the same SIRIM QAS serves KPDN for toys, ST for electrical products, and MCMC for communications. Once you understand this "authority-delegation" relationship, you won't mistake SIRIM for the sole decision-maker.

Toys: the mandatory MC mark

Toys are a mandatory certification item in Malaysia. Under the Consumer Protection (Safety Standards for Toys) Regulations 2009 (parent law: the Consumer Protection Act 1999), toys must first be tested by SIRIM QAS against the adopted safety standards—covering mechanical and physical, flammability, and chemical (heavy-metal migration, etc.) safety. The currently adopted standards include the MS ISO 8124, EN 71, and ASTM F963 series. After passing, a certificate of conformity is obtained and an indelible MC mark is affixed to the product; enforcement is by KPDN. Toys without the MC mark may not be supplied or sold in Malaysia.

Electrical: SIRIM is ST's testing arm

For a regulated electrical product to reach the market, it relies on the Certificate of Approval (COA) issued by ST, while SIRIM QAS handles the type testing and consignment testing within it. After the goods arrive and clear customs, the importer must submit them to SIRIM for consignment testing and obtain the ST-SIRIM label (a hologram sticker) to affix to the unit before it can be distributed and sold. In other words: the legal basis and the COA sit with ST, while testing and labelling sit with SIRIM—the two divide the work but neither can be skipped.

The difference between imported and local products

SIRIM's testing requirements do not distinguish between imported and local—as long as the category is regulated, both domestic and imported products must pass the same standards. The difference lies at the process nodes: local manufacturing more often goes through factory auditing and type certification, while imported goods commonly follow the "type testing + consignment batch testing" combination—especially the ST-SIRIM consignment testing for electrical products, which is a key step in the import chain. Either way, the party holding the certificate/mark must be a Malaysian local entity.

Common mistakes

• Treating SIRIM as "the government that issues licences" and overlooking the true regulatory and enforcement authorities (KPDN / ST / MCMC).
• For toys, having only overseas test reports and putting them on shelves without obtaining Malaysia's MC mark.
• For electrical products, having only a type test report and missing the post-arrival ST-SIRIM consignment testing and labelling.
• Misusing or falsely affixing certification marks—the marks are auditable and traceable, and any violation caught is a breach.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the difference between SIRIM and SIRIM QAS International? SIRIM is the parent institution (standards and industrial research); SIRIM QAS International is its wholly owned subsidiary that actually performs testing, auditing and certification. When you apply for certification, you deal with SIRIM QAS.

Q: Do all products need SIRIM certification? No. Only the mandatory categories designated by regulation (such as toys, regulated electrical products, and certain communications devices) require it; MS certification for general industrial products is mostly voluntary. First confirm whether your category is regulated by a competent authority.

Q: Are the MC mark and the ST-SIRIM label the same thing? No. The MC mark is used for toys (KPDN system), while the ST-SIRIM label is used for regulated electrical products (ST system); the two correspond to different regulations and products and cannot be interchanged.

Q: Can overseas test reports be accepted directly? SIRIM can accept products manufactured to Malaysian, international or foreign standards, but generally they must still go through its certification process (type testing / consignment testing) for confirmation—they cannot be put on the market based on overseas reports alone.

Q: Can the party responsible for certification be an overseas company? The party responsible for holding the certificate and affixing the mark must be a locally registered entity in Malaysia; overseas brands need to appoint a local importer or agent.

Self-check list

• [ ] Confirmed whether the product category requires mandatory certification (toys / regulated electrical / communications)
• [ ] Identified the corresponding competent authority (KPDN / ST / MCMC) and SIRIM's role
• [ ] Toys: obtained the MC mark and met the adopted standards (MS ISO 8124, etc.)
• [ ] Electrical: completed type testing and planned the post-arrival ST-SIRIM consignment testing
• [ ] The party responsible for certification/labelling is a Malaysian local entity

Conclusion

SIRIM (with SIRIM QAS International as the executing unit) is the testing and certification hub for product certification in Malaysia, but the real question of "whether and how it is regulated" is decided by each competent authority: toys look to KPDN's MC mark, electrical products to ST's COA and ST-SIRIM label, and communications to MCMC. Once you have the division of "the authority sets the rules, SIRIM does the testing" clear, you can plan the correct certification path. For the overall process, see the Malaysia Market Entry Roadmap; for category details, see the Toy Safety SIRIM Certification Guide and the Electrical ST/SIRIM Certification Guide.

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This article is compiled from official sources and is for reference only; actual compliance is subject to the latest official text and review by the competent authority.