MCMC reviews regulatory framework due to increasing level of content exploitation

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will review existing regulatory framework due to an increasing level of content exploited by criminals and those who attempt to threaten public safety and national harmony.

MCMC chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din said there were several Over-The-Top (OTT) applications and social media platforms that were seen as failing to regulate the use of their platforms in line with national interests and legislation.

In this regard, he said stricter regulatory action and intervention by regulators were necessary to protect the interests of consumers and the public.

"MCMC as the regulatory body focused on the industry in Malaysia will also review the regulatory approach to implement a higher level of supervision through existing legal instruments,” he said.

This includes a review of exemptions for certain activities in addition to imposing criminal sanctions and punitive orders against entities that refuse to take immediate steps to ensure that criminal activities occurring in their networks or platforms are stopped, he added.

Mohamad Salim said regulators and industry partners in Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia have recently or were in the process of enacting laws to regulate and criminalise fraudulent activities on some platforms.

He said since the establishment of the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) in October 2022, a total of 11,858 fraud-related complaints had been received as of April 2023.

Statistics obtained from the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) for the period between 2021 and April 2023 revealed that total losses due to scams reached up to RM1.2bil.

He said for the same period, the number of fake news reported to MCMC was 2,125.

After looking through the number of cases of abuse and threats arising as a result of the hands-off attitude of platform providers, he said MCMC believes there is a need to impose and enforce obligations on those who operate such platforms and those who benefit from digitalisation to take decisive action.

This is to ensure that their platforms or networks are not used as a forum to violate national laws or threaten public interests, he said.

"MCMC will not compromise with the act of misusing online and telecommunication platforms, networks or online facilities for the purpose of scams, malicious cyber activities, fraud, phishing and content that undermines stability and racial harmony as well as insults against the Royal institutions,” he said.

Mohamad Salim said the joint actions and efforts taken by MCMC were to ensure that the community is protected and has a safe environment in the digital world.

"These measures will be able to ensure a higher sense of responsibility and respect for national sovereignty and at the same time, strengthen protection for users against online harm, including scams and fraudulent activities,” he said.- Bernama