KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 46,130 pieces of fake or misleading online content have been taken down as of Sept 30, according to the Communications Ministry.
In a parliamentary written reply, the ministry said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had submitted 54,175 takedown requests to service providers between Jan 1, 2022 and Sept 30, 2025, of which 85% were successfully removed.
“These takedowns were based on complaints received and in accordance with the community guidelines set by each platform, consistent with Malaysian laws,” it said on Tuesday (Oct 14).
The ministry said MCMC continues to monitor discussions on social media involving public interest, crime, misuse, threats, and provocations.
Collaborative efforts with social media platforms and enforcement agencies are ongoing to curb the spread of false information, it added.
To further strengthen fact-checking efforts, the ministry highlighted the MCMC’s Sebenarnya.my portal as a platform for fact verification.
“On Jan 28, 2025, the ministry launched the Sebenarnya.my Chatbot, also known as the Artificial Intelligence Fact-check Assistant (AIFA), to help the public easily verify information, respond more swiftly to false content and enhance the portal’s function in countering misinformation.”
The ministry also reminded the public that, under the amended Section 233(1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588), spreading false content with the intent to commit fraud or deception is an offence punishable by a fine of up to RM500,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both.
A further fine of RM5,000 per day applies if the offence continues after conviction.
To promote safer online environments, the government has also enacted the Online Safety Act 2025 (Act 866) to regulate harmful content and establish obligations for application, content and network service providers.
“MCMC is currently developing subsidiary instruments under Act 866, including regulations and codes that focus on online risk management.
“Service providers will be required to prepare an online safety plan to demonstrate compliance and accountability,” the ministry said.
Additionally, the ministry, through MCMC, has been running the Safe Internet Campaign (KIS) since Jan 21, to raise public awareness about online safety and responsible Internet use.
“As of Sept 30, KIS has been conducted in 3,825 educational institutions with more than 218,000 participants and 337 community programmes involving over 220,000 participants nationwide,” it said.
