Buying and Using Email Lists by Country
Updated on - 8 October 2026
Table of Contents
Malaysia: What the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 Means for a Purchased B2B List
Buying a business email list in Malaysia is not itself prohibited, but using personal data for direct marketing is regulated. Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (Act 709), amended by Act A1727, applies within its relevant scope. Section 43 gives a recipient the right to require direct marketing to stop, while the amended framework provides penalties of up to RM1,000,000 and/or three years’ imprisonment for relevant breaches. Section 233A of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 concerning unsolicited commercial electronic messages was still awaiting commencement as of 23 September 2026. The Malaysia framework is not GDPR and is not Singapore’s PDPA 2012. Businesses should consider both Malaysian requirements and the law applicable to the sender.
Malta: Consent Rules for Marketing Email to Companies
Unsolicited marketing email to Maltese companies needs prior consent. Malta’s framework combines the GDPR, Data Protection Act (Cap. 586), and S.L. 586.01, the Processing of Personal Data (Electronic Communications Sector) Regulations. The electronic-communications rules protect legal persons as well as individuals. A soft opt-in can apply to existing customers for similar products when its conditions are satisfied. The Information and Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC) supervises the relevant data-protection framework. Malta should not be described as using PECR; PECR is the UK’s Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. The practical focus should be account research and permission-based outreach rather than unrestricted bulk cold email.
Maldives: No Data Protection Act in Force Yet
As of 23 September 2026, the Maldives has no comprehensive data protection act in force according to the source report. A Personal Data Protection Bill was submitted to Parliament on 11 May 2026, proposing a privacy-commissioner role. The legislative status should be re-checked before publication or whenever the bill changes. Meanwhile, businesses using Maldivian contacts should consider the law applicable to the sender and campaign rather than treating the absence of a comprehensive local act as unrestricted permission for marketing.
Mali: Law No. 2013-015 and the APDP
Mali’s principal data-protection framework is Law No. 2013-015 of 21 May 2013, amended by a 2017 law. The Autorité de Protection des Données à caractère Personnel (APDP) has operated since 2016. The framework defines direct prospecting, provides a right to object and contains requirements for declaring processing to the APDP. International transfers are subject to adequacy requirements, and administrative fines can reach XOF 20 million. Businesses should review the applicable requirements before using purchased contacts for direct marketing.
Is it legal to buy a business email list in Malaysia?
Buying the list is not itself prohibited, but using it is regulated. Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act 2010 treats a named work email as personal data, gives recipients the right to stop direct marketing under section 43 and provides penalties that can reach RM1,000,000. The sender’s own country’s law applies too.
Does Malaysia’s PDPA apply to senders outside Malaysia?
The PDPA applies to data users established in Malaysia and to those using equipment in Malaysia to process data. A foreign sender mailing from abroad may fall outside its territorial scope, but Malaysian recipients can still object and the sender’s own law may apply. Campaign planning should therefore consider both jurisdictions.
Does GDPR apply to a Malaysian business email list?
Not by default. GDPR can apply where the sender is established in the EU or where its territorial rules otherwise apply, including certain targeting situations. Malaysia’s own framework is the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, amended by Act A1727. It is not the same law as Singapore’s PDPA 2012.
Is it legal to email Maltese companies without consent?
Generally no for unsolicited marketing email. Malta’s S.L. 586.01 requires prior consent and protects legal persons as well as individuals. An exception can apply to existing customers receiving marketing about similar products when its conditions are satisfied. The IDPC supervises the relevant data-protection framework alongside the GDPR.
Is PECR Malta’s email marketing law?
No. PECR is the United Kingdom’s Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. Malta applies the relevant EU ePrivacy framework through its own Processing of Personal Data (Electronic Communications Sector) Regulations, S.L. 586.01. The practical rule includes prior consent for unsolicited marketing email, subject to applicable exceptions.
Does the Maldives have a data protection law?
Not one in force according to the source report as of 23 September 2026. A Personal Data Protection Bill was submitted to Parliament on 11 May 2026 and proposed a privacy-commissioner role. Because the legislative position can change, its status should be checked again on the publication date.
Which law governs email marketing to businesses in Mali?
Mali’s Law No. 2013-015 on personal data protection, amended in 2017, is administered by the APDP. The framework defines direct prospecting, provides a right to object and includes processing-declaration requirements. Administrative fines can reach XOF 20 million. Businesses should review the current requirements before using business contacts for marketing.
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