MCMC to prepare framework to facilitate registration, regulating social media, says Fahmi

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will provide a framework within a month to enable all social media platform providers to register with the agency and facilitate the regulating such platforms in the country.

Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said MCMC needed some time to complete the framework including gathering matters from external experience and the commission’s previous discussions with social media platform providers.

“One of the things we will do in the near future is to ensure that all social media platforms are registered with MCMC. So far no one has registered,” he told reporters after appearing as a guest for the recording of the Suara Anak Muda programme at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (Aswara) here on Friday (Dec 1) night.

Fahmi also reiterated his previous statement that the government does not intend to block or close any social media platform including TikTok in this country for the time being, especially to prevent the spread of defamatory information on the platform.

However, he insisted that the government would take action if any party or platform made the wrong move by allowing extremist statements to be widely disseminated on their platform.

“If we look at the situation in Indonesia, they also do not intend to ban or close down TikTok but to regulate, while for TikTok Shop, they see among other things that they do not want products from abroad to be dumped in Indonesia.

“In Malaysia, it is more to the domain of other ministries but we will discuss with some other ministries to coordinate some actions once we get the information,” he said.

On Suara Anak Muda programme which was first introduced, Fahmi said it was an opportunity for the people of this country to hear ‘directly’ from the minister about the initiatives, policies, successes and programmes of the Madani government.

Although the programme was broadcast on the YouTube platform (Suara Anak Madani) to begin with, he said the programme could be broadcast through the government’s official platform in the future.

Suara Anak Muda is a talk programme featuring senior political secretary to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin as moderator and guests in a more relaxed manner to discuss policies or hot issues.

The first episode with the title “Apa Cerita Setahun Kerajaan Perpaduan Madani?” will feature Fahmi and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said as invited guests on Dec 7.- BK