Fahmi: Change to two Acts will curb 3R issues

KUALA LUMPUR: Amendments to two Acts will help curb issues relating to race, religion and the royal institution, says Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

They are the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 (Act 588) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1988 (Act 589).

Fahmi said many matters in the Acts needed to be updated in line with the vast developments in current technology.

“The amendments will also involve engagement sessions with MPs and the ministry will study them before they are tabled in Parliament in this session or at the latest, next year,” he said as a guest of a forum titled “Youth Empowerment Through Digital Platforms” in conjunction with the Youth Empowerment Fair 2023 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday, Bernama reported.

During the forum, Fahmi also said the Malay Rulers had expressed their views and advice on concerns about extremism during his recent audience with them following several incidents involving race, religion and the royal institution (3R) that could possibly affect public order and harmony in the country.

“Because nearly all (state) religious councils have been instructed not to have any politicking in mosques and surau ... and I have spoken with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and they have come out with the statement today (yesterday) on the issue of 3R as a reminder to everybody to be safe, polite, decent, no violations,” he said.

In the statement, MCMC reminded the public not to upload or share any hateful content or opinions involving the 3R elements on social media or messaging apps.

On another matter, Fahmi said his ministry had been in contact with several satellite Internet service providers to assist rural communities to obtain cheaper Internet access.

“For instance, those who need to pay RM10 for one gigabyte (GB) of Internet data, this is quite a high price, so we need to do something about it to ensure Internet access is not only available but not too expensive to be used,” he said.

Fahmi said currently, 97% of residential areas in the country had access to the Internet and the remaining areas without such facilities were in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak as well as Orang Asli areas and inhabited islands.