Quick answer

The public reports do not all use the same word. Some involve selling. Some involve possession for sale. MCMC seizure reports also warn the public against selling, possessing and using uncertified communications equipment.

That does not mean every walkie-talkie owner is guilty. A certified radio, used within the right frequency and assignment conditions, is normal business equipment. The problem is an uncertified set, unclear programming, missing records, or stock kept for sale or rental without proof.

For a buyer or site owner, the question is simple: can you prove the exact model, certification, frequency plan, warranty path and supplier record? If not, the risk is already on your desk, not only at the cash register.

Owning, using and selling are different risk paths

Owning a certified radio and using it within the allowed conditions is normal business use. The risk starts when the radio has no Malaysian certification proof, the frequency use is wrong, or the set is kept as stock for sale without proof.

The case wording matters. Some reports say “jual” (sell). Others say “memiliki” or “miliki untuk menjual” (possess, or possess for sale). The 2024 Pudu seizure reports also repeat MCMC’s wider warning: do not get involved in selling, possessing or using uncertified communications equipment.

So the buyer question changes. Do not ask only “am I selling this?” Ask: “Do I own or keep an uncertified set, am I using it on-site, is it programmed correctly, and can I show proof if someone checks?”

For wording, the article follows the source reports: Astro Awani/Bernama reported selling and possession counts in the RM14,000 Low Yat case, Suara Keadilan reported possession for sale in Kota Kinabalu, and Bernama/Sinar/Kosmo reported MCMC reminders against selling, possessing and using uncertified communications equipment. Original source links are kept here: Astro Awani/Bernama, Suara Keadilan, Bernama.

• Own: keep proof that the exact radio model is certified for Malaysia.
• Use: check frequency, power and assignment/class-assignment conditions before deployment.
• Stock: do not keep uncertified units for resale or rental.
• Sell or rent: keep supplier invoice, serial list, warranty and certification trail.

Fine cases: selling and possession both appear in the reports

Start with the 31 May 2022 Kuala Lumpur report. Lee Wan Ying was fined RM14,000 after pleading guilty to two counts: selling two uncertified Baofeng BF-888S walkie-talkies and possessing 16 radios of the same model at Plaza Low Yat.

A second Kuala Lumpur report, dated 24 February 2022, involved a telecommunications equipment company and director Ooi Hee Choon. Each was fined RM4,000 over uncertified Baofeng UV-5RA and BF-888S radios at Bukit Jalil.

In Melaka, trader Seng Hok Siong was fined RM10,000 after pleading guilty over the sale of 9 radios, all uncertified Baofeng walkie-talkies at Plaza Melaka Sentral.

In Tawau, Best Secure & Automation Sdn Bhd and director Liau King Choi were each fined RM8,000 for selling two uncertified Kenwood 520D radios. The report says the units failed SIRIM frequency, EMC and safety checks.

In Kota Kinabalu, a 2024 report said two company directors were fined RM5,500 and RM2,500 for possessing uncertified communications equipment for sale, including Baofeng BF-888S walkie-talkies and wireless adapters.

Source screenshots from the case reports

Seizure context: MCMC warning covers possession and use too

Bernama reported on 26 July 2024 that MCMC seized 138 radios, all uncertified walkie-talkies worth more than RM20,000, from three premises in Jalan Pasar, Pudu. The same report says sale and use of uncertified communications equipment can carry a maximum RM300,000 fine or three years imprisonment if convicted.

The public warning goes wider than selling. Sinar Harian and Kosmo reported the same MCMC reminder: the public should avoid activities involving selling, possessing and using communications equipment without certification.

RTM reported on 26 February 2026 that MCMC had seized 314 radios suspected to be uncertified walkie-talkies between 2021 and 2025. The public-safety reason is direct: non-standard radios can interfere with safety, emergency, aviation and maritime communications. Chargers and batteries can add another safety risk.

Spectrum rules add a second line of risk. MCMC apparatus-assignment guidance says spectrum use normally needs a spectrum assignment, apparatus assignment or class assignment unless exempted. Contravention can carry maximum RM500,000 fine exposure or five years imprisonment. That does not mean the case defendants paid RM500,000.

Why owners and site teams get caught

The first mistake is treating a marketplace listing as proof. A low price, model number or overseas certification does not prove the exact unit is approved for Malaysia.

The second mistake is keeping stock before checking the batch. The case reports show that sale, possession and possession for sale can each matter depending on the charge.

The third mistake is using the radio before checking the frequency. Some walkie-talkie use can fall under class assignment, but the device still needs the right certification and must stay inside the allowed conditions.

The fourth mistake is record drift. Radios move between sites, contractors and events. When nobody keeps the invoice, serial list or certification proof, the site has little to show during a check.

• Owning or keeping an uncertified set without proof of what it is approved for.
• Using radios programmed for frequencies that do not match the site approval or class assignment.
• Keeping uncertified stock for resale or rental.
• Assuming Baofeng, Kenwood or any familiar brand name automatically means the exact unit is legal in Malaysia.
• Ignoring charger and battery safety when importing low-cost radios.

Prevention checklist before you own, use, rent or sell

Before you buy, keep, rent or sell a radio, ask for the exact model, certification proof, warranty path, programmed frequency plan and site use case. A supplier who cannot answer those points is selling uncertainty, even if the unit price looks attractive.

For events, security, factories, construction sites and malls, rental can be safer than buying when the project is temporary. You get a cleaner equipment trail, replacement support and fewer orphaned radios after the job ends.

For permanent fleets, keep a register with model, serial number, user or site, supplier invoice, certification proof, programming date and review date. The owner should be able to show where each unit came from and how it is used.

• Own: keep certification proof for the exact model and batch.
• Use: confirm whether your frequency and power fit the allowed condition or assignment.
• Rent: ask whether the supplier can show equipment and programming records.
• Sell: do not stock units that have not been checked for Malaysian requirements.
• Record: keep invoice, serial numbers and supplier contact in one folder.

Real Deployment Notes