Licensing social media: Govt open to inputs from various parties - Fahmi

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Communications through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is open to receiving any input from various parties regarding the implementation of social media and internet messaging service licensing by the government.

Minister Fahmi Fadzil said engagement sessions will continue with all stakeholders before the implementation of the social media license comes into force on January 1, 2025.

"The government maintains the position that social media platforms and internet messaging need to be subject to a regulatory framework to ensure the internet is safer for all Malaysians, especially children and families," he said.

Fahmi said this in a post on his Facebook today regarding his meeting with the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) and the Centre For Independent Journalism (CIJ) last Thursday.

Also present at the meeting which took place at his office in Putrajaya was Deputy Minister of Communications Teo Nie Ching and senior officials from MCMC.

Fahmi said the meeting and discussion was open and cordial.

"I have also received a memorandum from Bersih and will look into the recommendations," said Fahmi, who also thanked Bersih and CIJ for their efforts.

Meanwhile, Bersih, through a statement uploaded on its official website on August 23, said that it has submitted five positions on the proposed licensing of social media platforms and internet messaging by the government.

-- BERNAMA