TOUGHER action needs to be taken by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) against online content, particularly pornographic and violent material that can harm the nation’s youth, said PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
Raising the issue in Parliament, the Kubang Kerian MP said families and schools alone cannot bear the responsibility of shielding children from harmful online exposure, adding that the government must step in decisively.
“What happens in schools reflects what takes place outside,” he said.
“At home, parents are responsible. In schools, teachers are responsible. Between home and school, it is the government’s duty to protect.”
Tuan Ibrahim said the growing influence of inappropriate online content has blurred moral boundaries among youths, with some suggesting that social media use be restricted to those aged 13 and above.
However, he argued that the issue extends beyond age limits.
“Does that mean it’s acceptable for those aged 15 or 18 to have social media? The decay of values is the same regardless of age. Even adults are not immune. Children are reflections of their parents,” he said.
He questioned MCMC’s enforcement priorities and urged it to show the same firmness in blocking pornographic and violent content as it does in acting against critics of the Prime Minister.
“MCMC can investigate anyone, even those deemed to have opposed the Prime Minister – calling them in, charging them, bringing them to court,” he said.
“So, what is MCMC doing to completely block pornographic and violent materials that are corrupting our youths?”
He added that preventive measures must start early, warning that exposure to harmful online content could have long-term social consequences.
“When we fail at the early stage, it manifests in schools. Data shows that it’s not only the young who are being corrupted; even adults are deteriorating,” he said.
