Knowledge Highlights 27 January 2025
Antitrust developments and enforcement activity in South-east Asia: July to September 2024
In this issue of the Competition Law Quarterly, we highlight notable antitrust developments and enforcement activity in South-east Asia which took place in the third quarter of 2024, including the following:
- Indonesia: The Indonesia Competition Commission (“KPPU”) continues its active enforcement against potential anti-competitive conduct and abuse of dominance, including:
- investigation into the alleged monopolistic practices and abuse of dominance in the aviation fuel supply market;
- investigation into alleged bid-rigging conduct in the gas industry, and in the development of a ferry terminal centre, as well as issuing a decision relating to bid-rigging conduct in the construction industry;
- enforcement against price fixing conduct for the provision of container depot services; and
- enforcement against several entities for delays in notifying KPPU of proposed merger transactions.
- Singapore: The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (“CCCS”) has also been active in its review of a proposed commercial cooperation in the aviation industry, and potential merger transactions that may lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the market. In particular:
- CCCS granted conditional approval for the proposed commercial cooperation between two airline companies after accepting commitments pertaining to scheduled international air passenger transport services on certain routes;
- CCCS ended its assessment of a proposed acquisition in the ride-hailing platform market after parties withdrew their acquisition plans;
- CCCS cleared a proposed acquisition in the markets for the supply of structural steel products and reinforcing steel products; and
- CCCS issued an infringement decision for bid-rigging conduct in the procurement of vulnerability management software licences and services.
- Malaysia: The Malaysia Competition Commission took enforcement action against anti-competitive conduct including bid-rigging in the life saving and safety equipment sector, and the maintenance works sector, as well as price fixing involving 81 enterprises for Umrah travel services. The Malaysian Aviation Commission reviewed an anticipated merger in the aviation industry.
- Thailand: The Trade Competition Commission of Thailand issued decisions relating to six proposed merger transactions in various industries.
For more, please click here for an overview of notable antitrust developments in South-east Asia during the period of July to September 2024. To see if there has been any enforcement activity in your sector in the third quarter of 2024, please refer to the overview chart here.
