KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has assured that most regular internet users will not be affected by the new directive requiring all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to implement public Domain Name System (DNS) redirection.
Addressing concerns raised over the directive, an official explained that it primarily targets users attempting to access content related to gambling, pornography—particularly involving minors—banned films, pirated content, and malicious websites. The intention is to block access to these harmful sites, not to impact legitimate users.
“From our monitoring, no legitimate sites or users have been affected,” the official told Scoop.
“MCMC should not be blamed for any site not facing DNS redirection, as the directive only targets malicious sites.”
In response to complaints about slower access to certain legitimate websites, the official clarified that these issues are unrelated to DNS transparency.
“DNS transparency simply involves redirecting traffic to Malaysian ISPs, and does not affect access to non-malicious sites,” they said. “If users experience slow access to sites like Facebook or X, it is not due to DNS transparency.”
The official further explained that while alternative DNS services have existed since the Jaring internet era of the late 1990s, they were often used to bypass ISP-assigned DNS settings.
“Certain websites may be inaccessible via Maxis or TM DNS, but many of these sites involve pirated movies that may carry banned content and even malware,” the official noted.
The goal of the DNS redirection is to enhance online safety by preventing accidental access to sites with scams or pornographic content.
The official assured that legal online gaming would not be impacted.
“Users can still access gaming websites with transparent DNS proxies. If issues arise with games like Roblox, users should contact their ISPs for assistance.”
The controversy surrounding the DNS redirection came to light in early August 2024 when SinarProject reported that Maxis and Time were using transparent DNS proxies on Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) and Google (8.8.8.8).
This made MCMC-blocked websites inaccessible, leading to dissatisfaction among netizens who had relied on these DNS servers for their speed and reliability.
MCMC addressed these concerns in a media statement on August 8, 2024, clarifying that the transparent DNS proxy implementation was not a significant issue for tech-savvy users who could find workarounds. Critics, including freedom of speech advocates and opposition groups like Muda and PSM, accused the government of suppressing dissent.
Since September 5, discussions on platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) have highlighted a notice on Maxis’s website stating that MCMC requires all ISPs to implement DNS redirection for businesses, enterprises, and government agencies by September 30, 2024.
However, earlier today, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil emphasised that the directive aims to block harmful websites related to online gambling and pornography without impeding freedom of speech.
Fahmi added that website operators who believe their sites have been incorrectly blocked can appeal to an independent tribunal chaired by a high court judge.
DNS translates website names into IP addresses, enabling internet navigation. The issue of DNS redirection emerged when Maxis Bhd’s FAQ indicated that public DNS services like Google DNS or Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 would be affected. This led to concerns among users who used these services to bypass government blocks.
Sinar Project raised alarms on 6 August about ISPs, including Maxis, redirecting DNS requests back to local servers. MCMC has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing restrictions on harmful websites, having blocked 10,423 websites between January 1, 2022, and August 1, 2024, with 95.7% related to online gambling, pornography, copyright violations, scams, and online prostitution. – September 6, 2024