How to Label the Malaysia Energy Efficiency Label (MEPS / Star Rating)

Besides safety certification, some electrical products must also meet energy-efficiency requirements and carry a star-rating energy label. The compliance essence in one sentence: meet the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) → register with ST → affix the 1-5 star energy label, coexisting with the safety CoA label. This article explains which items must be labelled and how. For an overview of the system, see the Malaysia electrical ST/SIRIM certification and labelling guide.

What are MEPS and the star rating?

MEPS (Minimum Energy Performance Standards) are regulated by the Energy Commission (ST) and require regulated electrical products to reach at least a certain energy-efficiency threshold; once met, a 1-5 star energy label is affixed according to performance, where more stars means more energy-saving. The purpose of this system is to let consumers compare the power consumption of different models at a glance in the store, and to push manufacturers to bring more energy-saving products to market.

In other words, MEPS is a "threshold"—a product that does not reach the minimum efficiency should not go to market; the star rating is the "grading" that, on top of meeting the threshold, tells consumers just how energy-saving the machine is. For a brand, the star rating is not only a compliance symbol but also a marketing selling point: for the same air conditioner, a five-star model often sells better. So the pragmatic approach is to bring energy-efficiency planning forward to the product-selection and ordering stages, rather than adding the label as an afterthought when it is time to ship.

Which items need an energy label?

Items regulated by ST under MEPS commonly include:

• Air conditioners
• Refrigerators / freezers
• Televisions
• Household fans
• Lamps

In practice, whether an item is regulated under MEPS is subject to the latest officially announced list; if your item falls within the regulated scope, schedule the energy-efficiency testing and registration before launch, and don't discover a missing label only when it is time to ship.

Labelling essentials (process)

1. Energy-efficiency testing: the product first passes energy-efficiency testing, confirming it meets the MEPS threshold for the corresponding item.
2. Register with ST: register with ST using the test results and obtain the corresponding star rating.
3. Affix the energy label: affix the 1-5 star energy label on the product for consumers to compare.

Remember in particular: the energy label and the safety CoA label are two different requirements—both are indispensable and they coexist. A regulated item may need both to pass safety certification (CoA + ST certification label) and to meet energy efficiency (MEPS + star label). For the safety label details, see the ST electrical safety labelling rules; for the approval certificate process, see how to apply for an electrical CoA.

In practice, it is advisable to plan energy-efficiency testing together with safety testing: each of the two processes has its own submission and administrative time, and if they are done one after the other separately, the lead time is stretched even longer. For a regulated air conditioner, the ideal schedule is "complete the safety and energy-efficiency items in the same test batch → obtain the CoA and complete the energy registration → prepare both labels at once," avoiding a situation where the safety label is ready but the energy label is still in progress and holds up the launch.

Safety vs. energy efficiency: don't mix them up

This is the most common conceptual error: assuming that "affixing the safety certification means the energy efficiency is done," or vice versa. The two govern fundamentally different things—

For regulated air conditioners, refrigerators and the like, both labels must be affixed—one proving safety and one showing energy efficiency; missing either counts as non-compliant.

Common mistakes

• Attending only to the safety CoA label and omitting the energy star label.
• Trying to go to market without meeting the MEPS threshold, or affixing stars yourself without registering with ST.
• Treating safety and energy efficiency as the same thing and doing only one of the two.
• Not checking whether the item is regulated under MEPS against the latest list, and guessing instead.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: Does the energy label equal safety certification? No. Energy efficiency (MEPS/star rating) and safety (CoA) are two separate requirements; regulated items must meet both at once, with both labels coexisting.

Q: What do the number of stars mean? The rating is 1-5 stars; more stars means more energy-saving, for consumers to compare power-consumption performance.

Q: Which electrical products need an energy label? Items regulated by ST under MEPS, commonly air conditioners, refrigerators, televisions, household fans and lamps; the actual scope is subject to the latest official list.

Q: What must be done before the energy label can be affixed? First pass energy-efficiency testing to meet the MEPS threshold, then register with ST to obtain the star rating, and only then affix the label.

Self-check checklist

• [ ] Confirmed whether the item is regulated under MEPS (against the latest list)
• [ ] The product has passed energy-efficiency testing and meets the MEPS threshold
• [ ] Registered with ST and obtained the star rating
• [ ] Affixed the 1-5 star energy label
• [ ] The safety CoA label and the energy label coexist—neither is missing

Summary

The energy label = meeting the MEPS threshold + registering with ST + affixing the 1-5 star label, and it must coexist with the safety CoA label. Don't confuse "safety" with "energy efficiency": a regulated air conditioner or refrigerator may need both labels. Not sure whether your item requires it? First return to the electrical ST/SIRIM guide for the full picture; for small beauty appliances, also watch out for the MDA/ST boundary.

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