The government will be forming a new online safety committee to act as the highest monitoring body on online safety issues. According to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, this committee will be established under Section 5 of the Online Safety Act 2024 (Act 866).
As outlined in the Act, the committee will advise the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). As for its membership, the committee will include professionals both within and outside the country. These members will represent government agencies, as well as relevant stakeholders.
Azalina went on to say that she will chair the inaugural meeting. The meeting will serve to set strategic priorities. Aside from that, it will ensure the committee will act as an effective platform for coordinating online safety policy.
Under Section 10 of the Act, the committee will advise and make recommendations on the identification of harmful content and its prioritisation. Additionally, it is responsible for determining methods for analysing and mitigating risks to users exposed to such content. Other tasks include promoting best practices to make sure providers are held accountable.
According to the minister, the committee will act as a consultation platform between the government and major social media companies. Among the named providers are Meta, Google, TikTok, and X. This is meant to ensure effective implementation of safety measures, as well as content moderation and child protection.
While MCMC is the main regulatory agency for online safety, Azalina noted that the Online Safety Act 2024 provides for a separate, neutral committee advising on such matters. She also highlighted the need for such a body, as there are 33.1 million active social media users nationwide. This figure represents 96% of the population. Moreover, 10.6 million users are estimated to be under 18.
The Online Safety Act 2024 will take effect on 1 January 2026. For now, MCMC is still finalising 10 subsidiary legislations under Section 81 of the Act.
Meanwhile, the Criminal Law Reform Committee (CLRC) is reviewing Malaysia’s criminal laws. This includes new provisions on the misuse of AI, such as synthetic intimate images, digital impersonation, and automated grooming.
(Source: Bernama, The New Straits Times)
