KUALA LUMPUR – Acknowledging the value of services provided by social media companies, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil refuted concerns that Malaysia intended to ban or block these platforms outright.
In an interview with Channel News Asia yesterday, Fahmi explained that regulators have considered mechanisms adopted by other jurisdictions to combat crimes before implementing a requirement for social media platforms to obtain a licence to operate in Malaysia.
However, Fahmi warned that Malaysia’s multiethnic demographic must be taken into account before making comparisons.
Pointing to the late Rajeswary Appahu, who reportedly committed suicide after being harassed online, Fahmi referred to the cyberbullying incidents among Tamil-speaking TikTok users, noting that the platform faces challenges regulating such activities.
“So, that’s what we discovered. TikTok was not well placed to moderate live streams. Each platform has its own set of challenges. With Facebook, we have a lot of scams.
“We want to ensure that when there is a class licence, the same laws apply to all these platforms,” Fahmi said.
Noting concerns that such a move could be used to curtail freedom of speech, the Lembah Pantai MP mentioned that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has held briefings with social media platforms and civil society organisations.
He added that social media companies have been largely compliant with takedown requests by authorities, highlighting that Meta agreed to 88% of regulators’ demands in Malaysia.
“While the cooperation from these platforms is good, it is largely insufficient.
“We believe in making the internet safer for families and children,” Fahmi added.
Last Saturday, the MCMC announced that all major social media platforms offering services in the country will be required to hold a licence from January 1 next year.
This new framework will be in line with the government’s decision to combat the rising trend of cybercrime offences, including online fraud, cyberbullying, and sexual crimes against children.
Under this new framework, all social media outlets and internet messaging services with at least eight million registered users in Malaysia must apply for a Class License for Application Service Providers under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588). – July 30, 2024