KUALA LUMPUR: The Internet messaging service provider Telegram, has been urged to cooperate in combating criminal activities highlighted by the United Nations (UN) that are prevalent on the platform.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) met with Telegram representatives on Sept 18 and would continue discussions to address those concerns.
“Various forms of crime, including investment scams, drug sales, pornography and child exploitation, remain rampant on Telegram.
“We hope Telegram will collaborate with us on these issues. We are also closely monitoring developments in France,” he told a press conference after attending the 2024 World Post Day celebration here yesterday, Bernama reported.
“Currently, the government does not plan to take action against Telegram staff as long as they provide the necessary cooperation,” Fahmi said, adding that social media platforms have been given two months to register with the MCMC and review the contents of the first draft of the Social Media Platform Code of Conduct, which is expected to be completed this month.
Platforms with more than eight million users that fail to register for licensing could face legal consequences.
According to a Reuters report, the United Nations has revealed that powerful criminal networks in South-East Asia have been using the Telegram app extensively, enabling a fundamental shift in how organised crime conducts large-scale illegal activities.
The United Nations, through the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, made recent allegations against Telegram since France, using a tough new law with no international equivalent, charged its boss Pavel Durov with allowing criminal activities on the platform.
